Two Masters and a Baby
by jarethsdragon
Summary: Mikey finds another of Shredder's victims. What happens when Master Splinter takes her into his heart? And when her secret tumbles out, what will the clan do when Shredder finds out? (2012 TMNT Universe) Warning: Mature content. (Splinter Hamato Yoshi / OC), (Shredder Oroku Saki / OC), some (Donatello/April)
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own anything

NOTE WARNING: This is a dark fic. This is not "Raphael Gets and Owie" or "Leonardo Reads the Paper" or "Michelangelo's Favorite Pizza". People die. People live. Dark stuff happens, including rape allusions, nudity, and a M/F scene towards the end (which, despite everything, is a happy ending.)

* * *

Master Splinter frowned at the crushed can that peeked out from a corner. Michelangelo had been better about picking up the crushed cans and trash around the lair lately, but apparently in their haste to go fetch pizza, he had missed that one. It was singularly annoying that his sons did not share his penchant for neatness and orderliness. Didn't they know that trash laying around was a magnet for rats?

Other rats, anyway.

Splinter stretched out of his lotus position and crept over to the trash. The lair seemed absolutely silent with the turtles out—well, aside from the hissing and rumbling and shushing of the pipes above and the trickle of the sewers outside. So, on silent padded paws he picked up the can.

Then he saw another one—a bright scarlet Coke can—over by the door. He really needed to remind them about neatness. Michelangelo was to take out the trash. Leonardo was to sweep and mop. Raphael was to make sure that the refrigerator was cleaned out and the kitchen was tidy. Donatello was to take care of the vehicles and the storage areas—particularly his laboratory area. Everyone had a task and everyone worked together to keep the lair clean and livable.

Another voice in his head argued that Mikey had been absolutely overjoyed in the past few weeks to take the trash and—Donatello insisted—recycling up to the surface and dispose of it. Such joyful enthusiasm in one's chores was something wasn't it?

Splinter stood there silently, arguing with himself whether or not to punish Mikey when a tiny hand wrapped in black cloth poked inside and grabbed the can. Splinter instantly hunched down, ready for attack, but nothing came. No Foot soldiers. No Shredder or mutants. Only a soft patter of feet going away.

Curious, Splinter leapt to the overhead pipes which offered a delightful maze of shade and shadows to hide in and crept out to peek at the intruder. A willowy figure wrapped in an improbable combination of hoodie, oversized pants, and gloves walked quietly—though not ninja quietly—along the wall to a maintenance shaft. From there, the figure pulled out several gray trash bags and then walked on.

Splinter's whiskers twitched. Donnie had found the gray bags which promised to be recycled, recyclable and biodegradable and had impatiently forced all of the recycling to go into them. It was unlikely that this was a chance meeting of someone trying to pick up trash and clean out the sewers.

Or was it? Splinter followed behind the figure and watched as the figure wound through the sewers and then looped the tied bags over the shoulder to climb a manhole cover ladder. It was a familiar cover—near a recycling facility that was very close to TGRI labs. He waited for a few moments as the figure wrestled with the bags and finally got them up to the surface. He waited longer, peeking through a vent to see if someone was waiting.

The was no one, only the figure pulling the bags down the alley.

He finally crept out, following the figure at a distance. She often stopped and looked around fearfully, but she kept a steady pace to the center. A bored guard greeted her and took the bags. They disappeared for a moment and then she reappeared later with a few bills.

Splinter ducked behind a dumpster, waiting for her to pass. She was trying hard not to run, and stumbled to the cover where she climbed down again.

Then nothing. For five, ten minutes, there was nothing. The lab was closed—no one came in and out on a Sunday—the center behind him closed and the bored guard began fiddling with some kind of electronic device as the gates closed. His fellow rats crept out around his feet, looking for food.

He sighed and crept back down himself. The figure was gone. Worried and whiskers twitching, he slid back to the lair. No one was there. Nothing had been disturbed.

Nothing except for Splinter's peace of mind.


	2. Chapter 1

The boys burst in with loud voices and three flat square boxes of pizza. As usual, it was not befitting ninja—garlic and onion and tomato sauce drifted around them and the noise was almost deafening to the rat who had been listening for a return of the curious figure.

He rapped the tip of his cane on the ground and the boys whipped towards him, startled. As one they bowed and set their boxes aside.

"Tell me, my sons, did anything happen today?" His whiskers twitched irritably.

They looked at each other. Raphael was the first to break—smacking Michelangelo in the shoulder. Donatello hissed at Raph and Leo looked back and frowned at them. Splinter took a breath—deep in his belly—and waited. Leonardo bowed again and glared at his brothers. Donatello kept frowning and seemed to flex his hands. Raphael rolled his eyes and gritted his teeth.

Michelangelo's belly rumbled as the scent of pizza filled the air.

Splinter simply waited.

Raphael ground out, "We were jumped—"

"We were fine," interrupted Donnie.

Splinter's ear twitched. After a moment, Leonardo broke his gaze and looked down. "We were in battle with a Foot soldier..." Leo sucked in a quick breath. "He was watching the pizza place."

"And?"

"And we defeated him," Raphael hissed. "And we checked with April and she's fine and Casey's fine. We got a straggler."

"Nothing else?" Splinter asked calmly, looking at Mikey.

Michelangelo had always been the beam of sunshine. He had an innocence and friendliness that the others lacked. It was a tremendous strength—allowing them to draw in allies—but also a terrible weakness. Even now Mikey looked at him with the attentive face of an adoring son. Splinter sighed and pointed to the crushed can on the floor. "Do you have anything to say?"

Mikey looked at the can and flushed. "Oh, sorry Master Splinter." He jumped up and picked up the can and tossed it into the bin in the corner.

Splinter sighed. Everyone's stomach was rumbling now. He waved an impatient hand and everyone opened their boxes.

Leo looked at him with a worried expression. "Is something wrong Master?"

Splinter frowned and looked at his sons. "Enjoy your meal Leonardo." After a pause, he snapped. "Michelangelo! After you have cleaned up, join me."

"Yes, Master Splinter," he said, his mouth full of his favorite food.

Splinter frowned and waited. It was ten minutes before Michelangelo appeared in the room that Splinter had claimed as his own.

At once he bowed and knelt down. "Master?"

"Do you think you do your chores well?"

"Oh...ahh...sorry Master," Mikey breathed out. "I won't forget again."

Splinter sighed. "Do you take the bags to the surface yourself?"

"Umm..." A pause. "Uhh...yes?"

"Hmmmm..." Splinter stroked his chin.

"I do...well...most of them, anyway," Mikey said, scratching the back of his head.

"And no one helps you?"

Mikey frowned and sighed. "Well, I do get a little help..."

"I see," Splinter said. "And who is the help?"

"Ummm..." Mikey fidgeted. "Well...she's..."

"She?"

"She's...in a fix and takes the recycling. The glass and cans..."

Splinter's eyes narrowed. "And you did not think this was a spy? A danger to us all?"

Mikey frowned and concentrated. As the youngest, he often seemed the most childish. "Umm...not really." He frowned uncertainly. "But she seemed so harmless."

Splinter did not look convinced. "The greatest fighter can be defeated by those who seem harmless. Like the tiny brown recluse who seems so small compared to the wasp."

Mikey's wide eyes were filled with tears. "Oh...like she's gonna come out and sting us to death or something?"

Splinter sighed heavily. "You are the youngest of my sons and sometimes are the most innocent. I'd advise caution..."

"Oh."

Splinter sighed as Mikey fidgeted. "What do you know of this girl?"

"Ummm...," Mikey thought hard. "She is homeless and lives like three tunnels over in a dead end gulley?"

"How did you meet her?" Splinter stroked his chin. "Where does she come from?" At Mikey's blank look he began pacing. A tear trickled down Mikey's cheek and Splinter felt a momentary regret for questioning his son so harshly. "What is her name?"

"Uhhh...let me ask?"

"You do not know?!"

"She was wandering in the tunnels and picking up glass and cans and asked if I was going to take all the cans up..." Mikey scratched his head absently. "And so I kind of...gave...them...to...her..." Mikey's head scrunched between his raised shoulders. "I guess...I screwed up...?"

Splinter thought for a moment. "Perhaps if you take the time to get to know her...?"

"OK, Master Splinter!" Mikey sent him an angelic smile. "Does this mean that I'm not in the doghouse?"

"20 back flips! Now!"

The next week Mikey was hauling out several bags of cans and glass. Donatello had even contributed some scraps of metal to make the bags heavier. The meeting place was deserted. Master Splinter had sent only Leonardo to watch from a distance to ensure that there was no trouble.

Mikey looked around again, waiting. He whistled softly. She had to be here—he sucked in his breath. He wasn't crazy—this was where she was supposed to meet him.

Unexpectedly, the clumsily wrapped figure came from another tunnel. Leonardo ducked further into the shadows as the figure walked past, arms wrapped tightly around her chest. Mikey smiled and waved as the hooded figure waved back.

"I brought you some stuff..." Mikey called.

"Th-th-thank you," she stuttered hoarsely. Unexpectedly a heavily wrapped hand came out with a few grimy bills.

"What's that?" Mikey asked, all smiling innocence.

"It's from last time," she whispered.

"Aww...I don't need that," he blushed.

"But it is your share," she insisted.

Mikey reached out gingerly. "But...can you like..."

"Like what?" she asked, taking the bags and slinging them over her shoulder.

"So...what's your name?"

She paused and her hooded head tilted. "I don't have one." She shook for a moment. "It's better that way."

"Why?" Mikey asked, disappointment ringing in his voice.

"It just is." She paused, the bags dropping a bit. "Look...don't...borrow trouble from me. It's just better."

"But why? Maybe we can help?"

"We?" she suddenly panicked, almost dropping the bags. "Who are you?" She glanced around fearfully, obviously about to bolt.

Leonardo sighed and stepped out behind her. "Look...we just want to know a few things..."

Suddenly the girl dropped the bags and took off down a tunnel. Mikey frowned and followed as Leonardo took off after her. She didn't get far—she was slow and clumsy and her heavy clothes were so loose that they tripped her. Mikey and Leonardo flanked her, looking at the huddling figure.

The trickling water echoed as little hiccups came out. Mikey shot Leonardo a look. Creeping closer, Mikey reached out to the form. She shuddered violently, a wordless cry echoing out and Mikey jumped back.

Leonardo frowned and whispered, "Look..we don't want trouble. We just want to know who we are dealing with."

"I won't bother you any more...," she sobbed. "I promise... I won't." She shuddered again. "Just take the money and stuff and leave me alone." She flung out the few bills towards Leonardo. Her head was on the ground and she was huddled into a tiny ball. "Please...don't hurt me..."

"We won't hurt you," Leonardo sighed, sheathing his katana. "Just talk to us..."

"Yeah," Mikey agreed with a smile. "Just sit up...just a little." She huddled into her little ball, her head bowed and eyes still down, but she knelt up a little. "That's it... See? No one gets hurt."

Leo rolled his eyes. "So what's your name?"

She shuddered, not even looking at the turtle. Finally she whispered, "Whatever you want it to be..."

"Ooo! Ooo! Can we call you... Let me see... Uhh..." Mikey smiled. "I always do the best names so we'll find you the best name ever!"

"Mikey!" Leo hissed. "You can't just name her like a stray dog." He pointed angrily. "She already has a name."

"What about...Lily? Like the flower," Mikey said excitedly. "Or...maybe May?"

"May?" Leo hissed.

"Well, we already have an April," Mikey reasoned.

Leo frowned. In all the time, she hadn't even moved. She hadn't even unwound her hands to catch the crumpled bills around her. He sighed angrily. "Let's just take her back to the Lair. Maybe we can talk to her there..."

"Yeah!" Mikey cheered. "It'll be great. You and Karai are like an item. Donnie and April. Maybe May and I will get to go steady!"

"Don't count on it," Leonardo grunted. He put out a hand to her shoulder and almost flinched as the huddled girl jerked suddenly. He waited until she stopped shuddering and gently pulled on her. "Come with us." He sniffed the air. "At least come and get cleaned up."

Mikey kept chattering, talking about his favorite pizza restaurant and the special pizzas for every day of the week. The form said nothing, only wrapped her arms around her tighter and followed glumly. Leonardo swept up the money—a five and a few ones—and followed, deliberately not masking his steps.

Mikey led them around and around—the usual distracting and confusing way around the tunnels whenever they lead someone new to the Lair. Donatello undoubtedly had them on at least a few cameras, recording Mikey's uninterrupted chatter and the silent figure following. It irritated him that she never moved—never even tried to get away. It seemed—unnatural.

"So here we are!" Mikey said, gesturing widely. "Mi casa! Come and meet the clan!"

Leonardo cleared his throat as Raph and Donnie came out. Again there was the unnatural stillness and quiet. She didn't even look up as Mikey made introductions.

"And who might you be?" Splinter asked softly.

The heavily hooded form shuddered a little. "No one."

Splinter looked at his sons with a stern face. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," Raph smirked. "Please have a name. Otherwise Knucklehead here will name you something."

She shrugged. "Whatever you wish."

Splinter's eyes widened a bit but otherwise he only plucked at his long whiskers. Everyone looked at Splinter in confusion. Splinter walked carefully around her, his ears flicking and his nose twitching. "I think that perhaps if you cleaned up you would feel better..."

Her voice cracked into a high pitch as she whimpered. "I...do I have to?"

Splinter sighed heavily. "Yes."

"Oh," was all she said.

"Donatello, if you would please start the boiler. Leonardo, if you would find a towel. Raphael, the screen from my room." Splinter gestured and each of his sons went into a different direction.

Quite quickly there was a huge trash can in a corner with hot water and one of the three towels next to it. Raphael and Leonardo moved the heavy screen in front of it. Mikey simply sat and looked at her with mooning eyes.

"You'll feel a whole bunch better once you get cleaned up May!" he enthused.

Splinter watched her carefully. She didn't move, just wrapped her arms tighter around herself. Mikey kept talking to her about everything and nothing. She seemed to ever so slightly bend towards him, glancing up occasionally for split second looks before staring again at the floor.

"It's all set up, Master," Leonardo said.

Splinter's flickering ears caught the sudden intake of breath. She suddenly stood straighter and stiffer. He motioned to Leo who backed away with a bow.

"This way," Splinter said in a soothing rasp, listening to her careful steps as she followed him. She followed dutifully and stopped at the screen. "If you will leave your clothes here, Michelangelo will wash them for you." He thought he heard a soft whimper or sigh, but she only shuddered again.

He turned aside, expecting to see her duck behind the screen, but instead, her muffled hands were reaching silently to undo the oversized pants. Every turtle had sucked in their breath to see what would happen, staring silently with mouths open.

"Behind the screen," he grunted. She whispered her thanks and crept past him. It irritated him that she carefully kept as far away from him as possible, even sucking in her stomach to make herself as slim as she could.

Master Splinter glared at his sons, who wore varying expressions of frowns of disappointment. They were truly teenage boys. He gestured and they dispersed to different corners of the room. Suddenly, they all found something interesting to do. Leo sat down and began oiling the heavy leather straps that held his sheathed weapons to his back. Raph began to pick up cushions off the floor and kick the video game controllers back underneath the worn television. Donatello began fiddling with a controller to something.

He heard the shoes fall—one, then two. Leo shot a look to Raph who picked up a comic book and began studying it. Silence fell in the lair. Then a zipper crackled and Mikey grinned and Donnie smirked at him. Another sigh of fabric and then he said firmly, "Push your clothing out so that it can be cleaned."

"Oh!" She whimpered a little from behind the screen. With a slow reluctance, a slim foot pushed the mound of clothes out from behind the screen.

Splinter picked them up. A brief whiff of a faint trace of something wafted up to tickle his nose. Something that he couldn't readily place, but that unsettled him in its familiarity. He grunted at the turtles and flung the clothes to Mikey. "Get them cleaned up," he ordered.

"Right oh!" Mikey said, grinning wildly. Suddenly all four brothers were interested in working the ancient contraption that heated water and then scrubbing the clothes. Raph growled over a scarf and Leo took the pants.

Splinter shook his head and frowned. They were being boys—young teens. Had they been human, they could have dated and had some other outlet. Other experiences would have better prepared them for contact with a female. As it was, they were overwhelmed with their own impulses and half-formed ideas.

Frowning, he plucked at his whiskers. The entire thing was unsettling, and the sooner she was dressed again the better. Then his sons would calm down and they could all figure out what was going on. Neighbors were a bad idea for any ninja. Neighbors causing disharmony and competition were even worse.

Perhaps April would have an idea he could use. He patted his pockets, but his communicator was in the other room. Of course—this wouldn't be easy. He growled at the boys, gesturing for them all to back away and let Mikey—who was covered in water and suds—do the chore.

"My sons," Splinter ordered. "To the dojo for practice."

"Yes, Master Splinter," they all sighed in disappointment.

"But maybe I should stay behind and give her the clothes?" Mikey asked.

"Go!" he snapped.

All four boys trudged past him into the other room, glancing at the screen without subtlety.

Splinter picked up the clothes—a motley assortment of loose, worn clothes in a variety of mis-matched sizes. There really wasn't an area to hang them up, but they would dry swiftly enough if put over the warmer pipes overhead.

The water sloshed uncertainly. He felt his ears grow hot. Then his tail curled as he heard the soft whisper, "Do you want me to come out now?"

"What?!" he gasped.

"Do you want me to come out now?" her voice was a little louder. "Or to wait for the others?"

"No!" he ordered, ignoring the snickering from behind the cracked dojo door. "Your clothes are wet. Stay there."

There was no reply, only the splashing of water and the snickering from the cracked door. Master Splinter rolled his eyes—this would require strict discipline. He went to the dojo door—careful to keep his back to the screen—and rapped out orders for drills and exercises for his sons. Dutifully, his sons began to flip and punch and kick. Slipping inside, he closed the door firmly behind him.

It was no surprise to him that when he went back out ten minutes later, the girl was gone, leaving only wet footprints to the door.


	3. Chapter 2

The next week Mikey took out the recycling and met with her again. She gave him thirteen dollars this time, and hurriedly left. The next time, she brought Mikey a small pizza and a few dollars.

A few days later April bowed and approached Master Splinter, a worried look on her face. "Master Splinter," she asked. "Why does Michelangelo want nail polish and scented soap?"

Splinter frowned. The young woman looked at him curiously. "He has found..." What was this girl? She did not approach, never said more than a few words. She hid in some other tunnel and seemed to subsist on whatever money she could make from gathering and sorting trash. "A friend."

April's face cleared. "Oh," she said. "Then I guess that explains why he's after nail polish and soap and clothes. I was worried there for a moment."

Splinter flicked his whiskers in amusement. "A homeless woman," he explained.

April looked at him curiously. "Who is she? Is she like, a mutant or something?"

"I do not know," he admitted with a gritty tone. "However, she is harmless."

The next evening, after chores and evening practice and meditation, Splinter pretended to be surprised by a small cake with a candle to honor his birthday. There were no secrets in the lair, but manners dictated that he should recognize his sons' efforts at trying to hide the cardboard cards and small gifts from him. Leonardo gave him a package of incense and a holder shaped like a dragon. Donatello gave him a small radio so that the clumsy one in the common room did not have to be carried back and forth. Raphael had unexpectedly teamed up with April and found him an oiled whetstone and a small hinged knife called a "butterfly knife". In deference to his tastes, April had brought down an assortment of dishes from a Japanese carry-out—miso soup, hibachi chicken with vegetables and noodles, spicy stir-fried beans, and dango. Somehow they had arranged for a small rectangle cake to be decorated with circling koi and lilies similar to a print from one of his small stash of books.

Michelangelo was twitching with excitement—a battered cardboard box behind his back. Splinter had seen the box underneath the couch, but had not looked inside it. Smiling at his youngest, he took the gift with the clumsy bow on top.

Inside was a gleaming, silk quilt. He gasped at the soft fabric with blocks depicting cranes and geisha alternating with blocks of cherry trees and fans. Subtle gold glimmered in highlights and outlines and the red of darkest cherries formed outlines of each block.

"My son," he choked out. "This is an incredible gift. Where did you find it?"

"Oh May helped me out," he said innocently. "Do you like it?"

"It is...incredible," Splinter admitted. "But where is she?"

"She is still in her tunnel," Raph grunted. "Won't come out."

"I appreciate all of my gifts, my sons," Splinter said, glancing warmly at each of them. "You have truly made it a special night." His sons smiled and Raph gave a subtle high-five to April. Everyone seemed to breath a relaxing sigh as Splinter began to cut the cake and give portions to each member of his family.

He frowned as he took the last portion of cake. Raphael and Donnie were playing on a video game and Leo ate his engrossed in his cartoon. Mikey was watching him earnestly.

"Yes, my son?" Splinter asked as he looked at the frosting koi on his cake.

"Well...why aren't you eating your cake?"

Splinter grimaced. For all that Mikey was the most optimistic and often the most silly of his sons, he had been trained in the same methods of observation as his more serious brothers. Silly of him, really, to be concerned with someone who was apparently not interested in more than the trash that the boys produced. But something still rankled—some indefinable thing that was tickling the edges of his memory like a grain of sand tickles and teases an oyster. This, was, of course, likely him being silly and maudlin about yet another year passing, and so, rather than speak of such indefinable and shapeless things, he only said, "If 'May' helped you out, then I should go thank her—do you think?"

"Oh," Mikey smiled, licking some icing off his finger. "She said that she—" Suddenly, he was silent, his eyes wide and his mouth pursed.

"What did she say, my son?"

"Oh, I'm not supposed to tell..." Mikey suddenly looked around uncomfortably.

"What are you not supposed to tell?"

"That she brought it with her because it was all she had from her mother." Mikey frowned. "But why would she not want me to say that?"

"So it was a very special quilt?" Splinter's eyes sharpened. "Then I simply must thank her." He stood swiftly and gestured to Mikey. "If you would lead the way..."

Mikey smiled widely, his eyes gleaming. "Sure thing Master Splinter!" Whistling, he began to swagger to the door.

"Where are you going?" Leonardo asked.

"We're going to see May," Mikey said proudly.

The other turtles looked at their brother's swagger and rolled their eyes. Standing, they walked to join in line. April looked confused, but followed as well. Splinter plucked thoughtfully at his whiskers.

"No," he said swiftly. "Michelangelo and I will go, followed by Raphael. Leonardo, Donatello—you stay here with April in case we are attacked." April nodded uncertainly, and Leonardo and Donatello exchanged worried looks, but sat back down.

The sewers were a dizzying maze of the senses—unfamiliar and strong fragrances wafting in on breezes, trickles of water becoming surges of water and then dying back, and sounds echoing in the tunnels. Mikey wrapped the party around several intersections and then back behind some pipes, whistling and still swaggering. Raphael was somewhere behind, trailing them at a distance in case there were unexpected fights.

Splinter sighed, walking patiently around another intersection. Then there was a dead end—the pipes stopped and veered upward and then at an improbable right angle to follow along the street above. He was about to lecture Michelangelo when he noticed a soft sound and the rustle of dark fabric above the pipes.

"Hey MAY!" Mikey called out, his voice echoing. "We're here to see you!"

There was a feminine cry and a shuffle and a hooded head peeked out over the pipes. "Oh," she said softly. "It's you."

"Yeah it's me," Mikey said in an unexpected crooning voice. "Who were you expecting?"

She glanced around sleepily caught sight of Splinter, standing and patiently waiting. In the uncertain light she seemed to grow paler and all of her attention was suddenly riveted to him. All of her seemed to tense and her pupils grew wide. "What do you want?"

Splinter moved slowly and as deliberately as a geisha might during a tea ceremony. He kept his voice down, almost matching his son's croon. "I wished to thank you for my handsome birthday gift." He purposefully glanced as Mikey who was staring up at her with a rather goofy grin. "My son says that you helped him...greatly."

She glanced at the turtle uncertainly then seemed to take in a deep breath, moved a cup of some kind of off-brand of instant noodles on the edge of the bend of the pipes, and wriggled around to slide down a pipe. Her clothes were more worn and smelled strongly and were still the same ill-fitting hodgepodge of hoodie over shirts, too-large pants and gloves, and a heavy, frayed black scarf wrapped around her head.

She made some of Casey's outfits look tailored—even haute couture.

Splinter bowed towards her solemnly. "I understand that the quilt was precious to you and thank you for it."

She flushed dark red and for a moment her eyes seemed to swim in confusion. "It...was nothing...really..."

"Hardly nothing," Splinter smiled. "Yet, I am deeply grateful." He paused meaningfully, trying to judge whether or not she was going to bolt again since she seemed to edge ever closer to the wall behind her. "If you are not busy, would you like to come celebrate with us?"

Mikey finally broke out of his moon-calf daze and said, "It's not pizza or anything special, but we've got miso soup and noodles and April brought us vegetables and everything." She did not seem to back away completely and her eyes seemed to reflect wistfully.

"I would very much like to have you visit," Splinter whispered softly.

Mikey smiled and shot her a long, mournful look. "Come on—you'll love it and you can play video games and watch cartoons—" He grabbed her hand suddenly and began to pull her along. "It'll be great—"

Surprised, the girl shrieked and jumped back, flat against the wall. Wild, terrified eyes glanced uncertainly at them, then darted to Raphael as he emerged from the shadows, his sai held up against possible attack. Raphael shot her and then Michelangelo an exasperated look.

"Great going, genius," he hissed. "Why don't you just tell everyone we're here? I'm pretty sure there's a cat in Jersey that didn't hear her scream!"

"Raphael!" Splinter scolded sharply, striking his cane down on the floor.

Raphael looked at Mikey, then the girl and back at Master Splinter. Frowning, he slunk back against the wall. "Sorry."

"Hey," Mikey tried again, another wide-eyed smile on his face. "Don't worry. You don't need to be scared—we're like super ninjas—!"

"Michelangelo!" Splinter snapped. He briefly put a hand over his face and then faced the girl again. "Come along and we will welcome you." The wide eyes focused on him again and he noticed that they were dark like strong black tea. She seemed to consider him again. "My sons are...enthusiastic, but they will not harm you."

She seemed to nod uncertainly and creep a hair closer to him. "Okay...," she whispered to him, although her eyes were warily darting at Raphael's sais.

Splinter noticed and said softly. "Raphael will not hurt you." She nodded slowly. "How is it that you have no curiosity about us? Have you seen mutants before?"

She shook her head, glancing at the turtles. "No," she whispered. "I was terrified the first time that—" She gestured to Mikey. "—I saw him. But I am grateful for the glass and cans."

Splinter nodded in return. "You do not need to fear us. We do not want anything—"

"Everyone wants something," she interrupted so sadly it made his heart skip. She gestured towards her hidden face . "And those with weapons seem to get what they want no matter what."

Splinter grunted. So the girl had been attacked before—that explained her skittish shyness. It was a shame, but it did happen—even among humans that those with weapons tried to conquer those who could not fight back.

Around and around again, Michelangelo led them back to the lair—chattering all the time.

Just before the last corner, she paused and leaned heavily against a wall. Splinter looked at her in surprise, his whiskers twitching and his ears flickering back and forward to catch any sound.

"Sorry—just...a little dizzy," she whispered.

"Oh," Mikey said. "Well, we're almost home." He gestured further down the tunnel. "Just a few more steps..." He smiled widely at her. "Or I could carry you?"

She shuddered softly and said, "I'll be fine. I can get there."

Splinter arched an eyebrow but said nothing as she pushed herself up and started walking again.

The lair was still lit up and everyone was watching a robot cartoon show as they came in. Leo turned around and saw them first.

"Hey," he said. "You're back!"

Mikey swaggered in. "Yep, and we've brought company." He stood aside with a flourish as May came stepped into the doorway. "Hey, everyone come out and meet her!"

Splinter frowned as she suddenly stepped back—almost coming fully against him. He gently put a hand on her shoulder and she jerked around.

"We do not bite," he joked. "It is safe." He glanced towards April. "I have invited her to share in our celebration."

"Her name is May," Mikey said, by way of introduction.

"May?" April asked uncertainly.

"Yeah..." Mikey explained in a surprised voice. "You're April and she's May—"

"And I suppose the next one will be June and then July!" Raph groused.

"That's silly," said Mikey. "We only need one more for you and besides, whoever heard of someone named 'July'?"

Raph grunted and went to his favorite chair with a comic book.

Splinter sighed. "If you will join us, we were eating over there..."

May glanced back at him and seemed to smile uncertainly. Silently, she followed where he pointed towards the low table where the white boxes still sat. Fortunately, there was a spare set of chopsticks which she took and broke expertly. Splinter gestured over to April to join them and sat across from her. April took a seat a little ways away from her, her nose wrinkling in distaste at her unwashed scent, and then picked up a fortune cookie.

"Sorry for Mikey," April said with a blush. She tried to start the conversation. "He's...odd."

"He is my youngest," Splinter offered as he took up his cup of tea.

"He is nice," the girl whispered. She glanced at all of the leftovers—some of which were cold—with an undeniably hungry look. Then she glanced up at Splinter nervously. April frowned at her and glanced at Splinter as the other girl's gaze flickered down. Splinter sipped his tea evenly, as though he did this all the time and April supposed that he did. The girl set down her chopsticks and stared at them sadly. Finally, with her hands shaking, she unwrapped the scarf from around her face.

April glanced at the girl and gasped, dropping her fortune cookie. The girl's face on one side was lovely—dark almond eyes the color of coffee, tawny skin, and thick black hair that shimmered down her shoulders despite the dust in it. But the other side turned April's stomach and April turned down to stare at the table with her face flaming.

Splinter sipped his tea as the girl sat there, her high cheekbones blazing. The other half of her face had four long cuts—two pairs of them, evenly spaced. The stripes were brilliant red—not evenly healed—and were from her jaw into her what was left of her hair. Short, ragged hanks were what was left as though someone had grabbed her and slashed through it carelessly. Splinter took another thoughtful sip. Given that she had been in the sewers for some time, it would not be surprising if part of her head had been shaved.

Two fat tears slipped down her cheeks. A shuddering sigh slipped out. "I...I'm sorry," she whispered. "They are...hideous."

Splinter set down his cup carefully. The younger woman trembled and refused to meet his gaze. He was aware that all of his sons were staring at her. Michelangelo whimpered softly, his eyes wide and his lip trembling. Leo frowned sternly, staring at her back and shooting meaningful glares at his weapons. Raphael twirled his sais grimly while Donnie peeked out from behind his gadget and gaped and then ducked behind his gadget again. The girl's hands shook and she stared at the food longingly. Then, as everyone gaped, she reached for her scarf again.

"I'm sorry," she whispered again sadly.


	4. Chapter 3

"No," Splinter said. "we apologize." He picked up a dumpling thoughtfully. Lacking something more wise and profound to say and ashamed that his sons were not more polite he offered, "Please, eat if you are hungry."

She shot him a grateful glance and picked up the chopsticks. She murmured something—some thank you—and snatched up a dumpling. Splinter watched her, sipping his tea, as she gulped it down. After another dumpling, her face suddenly went pale and she glanced up at him in panic. Lurching up, she bolted out the door.

"Hey! Wait!" Mikey cried and all four boys bolted after her.

Splinter thought for a split second to order them to stand down, but she barely made it out the door before vomiting. Splinter sighed again and took a wet cloth.

"Master Splinter!" Mikey called from the door. "Help!"

"Doofus," Raph snapped. "Just get a cloth or something." A loud slap echoed and Mikey shouted. "What did you do brainless?"

"Silence," Splinter snapped coming out with the wet cloth. He pressed it to her face, wiping her carefully. She shuddered, and would have lurched away, but Leo braced her against him and she could only jerk. Splinter pressed his hand against her forehead and frowned at the faint fever heat from her skin.

"Come inside," he said firmly. When she shook her head, he gripped her shoulder and gently maneuvered her back into the lair. She likely didn't even realize he was leveraging her weight against her and steering her the way he wanted to go. "Sit down."

Splinter grimaced as she dropped to her knees in front of him without so much as a gasp. She curled up and held her stomach at his feet. He did not let go of her shoulder—just in case. "When did you last eat?"

"I found a cup of noodles outside. They didn't smell bad or anything—"

Splinter interrupted her with a grunt. "And before that?"

"I don't know." She shook her head slightly and wobbled beneath his hand. "Let me go—"

"No," he said. He glanced at her. "You will stay here," he ordered in the same firm voice that got his sons to obey. Most of the time anyway. Turning towards his gaping sons, he rapped out orders to get the mess outside cleaned up and to find her something else to wear.

Suddenly she reared back. "No...I...please," she babbled, suddenly pale and shivering again.

Splinter glanced at her sternly. "Be still."

She pulled away and he held on firmly. She kept pulling and finally he put one hand between her shoulders and one on the back of her neck. Unexpectedly, she crossed her arms high over her face. He blinked—it was as though she expected to be hit in the face.

Then he remembered—there was an old hold he remembered where the hand on the neck would pull back and the hand between the shoulders would pull back and do a sharp punch to the face unless you blocked quickly. Splinter's whiskers twitched and for a moment, his ears flattened back angrily as he wondered who had beaten her. It took a bit of effort to center himself and realize that—for a moment—his hand was gripping her harder than necessary. He loosened her grip and slowly she lowered her hands, a few tears streaking down her cheeks.

"Donatello," he finally said. "She will bathe again. Please warm some water."

The turtles leapt into action, hauling out the trashcan, warming water and pulling out the heavy screen. Splinter held firmly to her shoulder and led her to the screened area.

"You will bathe," Splinter said patiently. "It will help you." Gritting his teeth, he said to April, "Could you—"

"I will go and see if I have anything she can wear," April said with a wobbly smile.

"I knew you had a heart of gold," Donnie enthused.

"Yeah," April said. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

Splinter looked at the girl and continued to lead her to the bath behind the screen. Gingerly, he began to unwind her clothes off of her body. She surprisingly didn't protest and it made him somewhat angry. What kind of vicious attack could have broken her spirit so badly? He picked up the clothes as she pulled them off.

He glanced at her as she struggled to climb into the trashcan of water. Then he froze. There were more cuts down her back. These were in a deliberate pattern from her neck to just below her waist in the same mottled red color as the cuts on her face. He struggled to swallow—to even breathe—and his hands shook as he deliberately took all of her clothes.

Stepping out from behind the screen, he frowned and balled her clothes up in his hands. There were a few splashes and a hiccuping sob. The turtles were all suspiciously absorbed in other activities, but for the moment there was peace. Splinter sniffed and realized how foul the girl's clothes were.

There was no help for it—he would have to lend her some clothes. Two years ago April had found a pattern on the Internet and made him a pleasant blue kimono style robe. April had been so excited to give it to him and he had been touched that she had gone to so much trouble. He listened to ensure that May was still bathing and then went into his room to find the blue kimono.

He frowned as he tossed the soiled clothing into a bin. The blue kimono was in the bottom of the cardboard chest of drawers in his room. There was a rustle and giggling and Splinter rolled his eyes.

It was not a surprise that all four turtles had crept to the screen and were peeking in the corners of the screen. It annoyed him that even though she could not help but see their shadows peeking in and their toes under the screen, she didn't even tell them to go.

"Turtles!" he snapped. Frowning at them, he pointedly draped the kimono over the cracks in the folding screen. "Back to practice."

The turtles grumbled softly and began practicing their drills and katas. Splinter herded them into his room to do their practice. Then the den was quiet except for the quiet sobs behind the screen.

"They are gone and I will ensure that they do not bother you again," Splinter explained. "Wear the kimono when you are ready to come out and we will try again to eat." She coughed and there was a splash and Splinter took that for agreement.

Stepping into the other room, he saw that the turtles were in a far corner, whispering quietly. "My sons," he said, clapping his hands. "I expect you to be practicing."

Leonardo turned towards him first, and the others stood behind them. "Master Splinter," Leo said with a soft menace. "What happened to her?"

"What were those marks?" Raph growled.

Splinter almost grinned. There was one constant—his sons were determined to get to the bottom of things and champion the injured damsel. But this was no time to revel in that—they were determined to avenge the wrongs.

Splinter frowned as he considered what to say. "The injuries..."

"Those were deliberate, weren't they?" Michelangelo frowned. "Who would do something like that to such a nice girl?"

Everyone looked at Michelangelo. Raph grimaced, "You actually said something right..."

"They were deliberate," Splinter agreed in a hushed voice. "And they will scar."

The turtles stared at him in surprise. Donatello frowned and said softly, "But, I mean...maybe with emollients and proper care they could heal...?"

"They will scar," Splinter frowned. "And that was deliberate as well. It is an old ninja formula that was used to shame defeated enemies by marking them with the winning clan's symbols." The turtles all gasped. "The marks on her back are the name of our enemy."

"Oroku Saki!" Raph growled, his knuckles white around his sai.

Splinter nodded.

"I'm gonna kill him!" Mikey growled. "I'm gonna smear him—"

"Michelangelo!" Splinter snapped. "For the moment, we will not do anything. We need to figure out what happened. This may be a trap—"

"No!" Mikey growled. "She's—" Raph smacked him and he whined a bit.

"She may not be deliberately trying to lead us into a trap," Splinter answered. "But that doesn't mean that she is not the bait." He paused. "So after she is settled, we will ask her what happened." He frowned. "But for now we will practice and make her feel welcome."

The turtles grudgingly nodded and began practicing. Splinter nodded at them and went back outside. Aside from small sloshes behind the screen, the den was empty and silent.

"It is time to come out," Splinter said softly. "Please get dressed." She took her time coming out, wrapping the robe around herself almost twice over. She pulled some hair to cover her scarred face and crept closer to him.

"Thank you," Splinter said. "Now, let us sit and eat."

She nodded and sat at the table and picked up the chopsticks again. Splinter frowned and sat beside her. Gently, slowly, he put his hand on her and took the chopsticks. She gaped up at him in confusion and pleading. "No," he explained. "If you are ill, then soup will be better." He poured her some tea and put some of the miso soup into a plastic cup. Giving her the soup, he nodded at her. "Sip it slowly."

She took a shaky sip and smiled. Splinter nodded at her and poured himself another cup of tea. It was cold, but he guessed it was better than nothing. She took small sips each time he did. The time crawled by as she drank the soup.

Finally Donatello peeked out of the door. "Master Splinter," he smiled. "Can we come out now?"

Splinter looked at the you woman and nodded slowly. "Come out my sons. We have a guest."

The turtles came out and bowed towards her. Splinter softly introduced them and the girl smiled and shakily bowed at each of them in turn. They crowded around the table curiously, shoving the boxes of cold food around.

"So how did you come down here?" Mikey asked.

"I...ran away," she said softly. The cup in her hand shook violently.

"From where?" Raph asked abruptly.

"Raphael! Remember your manners."

"I...I am not sure where...I am," she admitted, her cheek flushing red. "I ran out of the building at night and ended up in an alley." She shrugged. "I thought that I was being chased and it was the only way out..."

"By ninjas," Leo finished without emotion.

She only nodded.

"So how did you get wrapped up with the Shredder?" Raph growled.

The girl gaped at Raphael. "You KNOW about him?"

"We do know him—very well," Splinter nodded. "But not how you are involved..."

She flushed again and simply set the cup down on the table. "I...I shouldn't say anything." She flushed a brilliant red. "I do not want trouble..."

Splinter arched an eyebrow. "We do not want to cause any trouble." The turtles all nodded in agreement. "But one does not need to cause trouble to have trouble." Leo grinned at him slightly. "And troubles shared are often lighter."

Everyone looked at May, who only took a gulp of her soup. Finally she sighed and glanced at Mikey. "I suppose that you won't let up, will you?"

"Not a chance," Michelangelo agreed.

"We can take him down," Raphael said.

"Raphael! Enough. We will finish our meal and then see what needs to be done."

May quickly drank the rest of her soup and then she took a small portion of noodles and some vegetables. Her stomach lurched again and she paused, her eyes squeezed shut to try to hold down what she had already eaten.

"Go slow," Splinter advised calmly.

She let out a watery giggle. "I do not know why I'm having such trouble." She sighed. "Before..."

"Before...?" Michelangelo asked innocently. "Before you fell in love with me?" He blinked dramatically.

She stared at him, her mouth gaping a little. "I... That is..."

Raphael calmly smacked the back of Mikey's head. Mikey frowned and growled back at his brother, raising his hand menacingly. Splinter, seeing the trouble, set down his cup evenly and said, "Do we need to do more practice?"

"Uhh..." Mikey said. Then he lowered his fist. "No, Sensei."

"No, Sensei," Raphael gritted out.

"You are not making a good impression on our guest," Splinter pointed out.

"No!" May blurted. "It's...fine. I mean—I'm flattered." She shivered a bit. "Really."

"Continue please," Splinter asked. "Before what?"

"My father... He owned some warehouses close to the waterfront. He ran them after my grandfather died and we stayed a small, family company." She shrugged. "My father called me to come to the warehouse one night. He said that there was trouble—a new gang or something—and that I needed to leave that night. He was handing me the papers and money to travel somewhere with when men burst into the office."

"The Foot," Donnie breathed out.

"I had hoped not. My friends were also in families of small companies along the waterfront. Sonja's father owned another few warehouses and Beth's family handled shipments of antiques. Their families were terrified of the Foot and were talking of selling and moving elsewhere. I thought we were safe. But when they burst in, my father called them that.

"At first a lady came in with a sword and told my father to hand her the papers and money. He...he told her to leave and pulled out his gun. I don't know that Father had ever done more than take it out and clean it every month—he hated violence—but he fired."

Mikey sighed, "Oooo!"

"He grazed the woman's shoulder." May shook suddenly as though she were sitting on ice. "And the men grabbed him. We had no choice but to go with them to their vans and then they drove us to our house.

"It was unreal that we were driven to our own home, but the Shredder was already there, taking down the Japanese naval sword from my grandfather's service. Other men were there, packing up some things and wrecking others. There was a pile of things—my mother's jewelry, the silver candlesticks from Williamsburg, an antique vase and screen—in the room already, but they were still searching for more.

"My father begged him—on his knees, even—to let me go. To just let me go. Then the lady came in with a bandage on her shoulder.

"The Shredder got really mad then. He had two men take me to my father's room and lock me inside. They were joking that they would share me with the others after they were done and one slapped me when I tried to fight them—so...I-I stopped trying."

"You were untrained," Splinter said calmly. "There was nothing you could do."

"After a few hours, two men brought in my father and tied him to a chair facing the bed. He had been beaten badly, but seemed to know me.

"Then the Shredder came in swearing that he would make an example of my father." May struggled, tears welling up and trickling down her cheeks. "I was afraid to be hurt and stripped when he told me. He had me tied to one of the bedposts and began scratching me. It wasn't bad at first, but my father began cursing him and finally..." She shrugged. "The Shredder held my head and began shaving it, saying that he knew the old man was weak.

"He cut my face first and smeared something on it. It burned so much that I began screaming. He cut me down and then threw me on the bed—" She shivered again and lifted the sleeve of the robe to wipe her face. "He told me that he liked my screams and kept cutting my back. Two men dragged my father out into the hall, and the Shredder hit my face, telling me to really scream then so that my father could hear me. I couldn't fight him—he was so fast and so strong. I just wanted him to be done and when he got off of me, I was so grateful. Then he had my father brought in again to see what he had done. My father shouted and screamed but couldn't do anything. He kept saying he would call the police and threatening them all. He said that I had been a virgin and was supposed to marry one of the leaders of the Purple Dragons and that Shredder didn't want to mess with them.

"The Shredder only laughed and said that the Dragons could have me when he was done. We were drug out and the house was set on fire.

"Then the lady came out and said that she wanted to pay my father back for her shoulder and she...she sliced his shoulder with her sword. He fell down and then I was pushed into the van. My mother's quilt was in the pile of stuff and I wrapped it around me. One of them came back and held a cloth over my nose and I don't remember anything else until I woke up tied to another bed with the Shredder watching me..."

"And he attacked you again," Splinter finished without emotion.

"He said that he knew there was no alliance with the Purple Dragons and that no one would miss me. Afterward he cut my back and put more of the stuff on those cuts. I was so dizzy and hurting so much, I could not move even after he untied me. And then he left." She shrugged, gulping some tea. "A few hours later, he returned and he threw me into a cold shower and had me clean up the room before I was tied again. Then he left. A few days later the lady came in and said that I should be gone before the Shredder returns and if I wasn't he'd kill me. So I stood up and she tossed the quilt to me, telling me to get out. I managed to make it out to an alley where I found some clothes in a garbage bag. I kept hearing people moving behind me and so I started running and hid in the first place I could find—a service tunnel of the sewers—and you know the rest..."

Leonardo leaned over and put an arm around May's shoulders. "It's all right. You're safe here." Mikey only nodded, tears streaming down his face. Raph's green cheeks both had tics vibrating and his teeth were gritting. Donnie was frowning and rubbing his bo thoughtfully.

Splinter only frowned and plucked at his whiskers. "Leonardo, do you think that Karai could have had a hand in this?"

"Karai?" May asked softly. "Who is Karai?"

Splinter sighed heavily. "She is...a friend."

"A friend? In the Foot?" May's eyes went suddenly wide and panicked. "I...I... Oh my God!" She looked frightened and half stood up. "I—!"

Splinter sighed. "It is complicated and first we must see to your welfare." He reached out a supportive hand. "First you must rest and eat."

Mikey smiled at him. "Oh yeah! Boya! First sleep over and we haven't even dated yet!" He smiled at May. "You can sleep next to me!"

"You have to be kidding," Raphael sighed. "You sleep in a nest of trash."

"Not true!" Mikey protested. "Just my fifty three favorite pizza boxes." He thought for a moment. "And maybe my collection of Kid Meal toys."

"We rest our case," Raph frowned.

"Turtles," Splinter said. "We have a guest tonight. You will make her welcome and clean up after yourselves. Tomorrow we will determine what is to be done."

Mikey rolled his eyes. "That means that we have to break up and do what he says."

"Oh," she said. "I will help..."

"Gee thanks!" Mikey smiled.

A series of chirps sounded and Donnie flushed. "It's April." He pulled out his turtle phone. "Hey April. You did? Great! Really? That's not good. So come by tomorrow. Yeah...I'll meet you at Tino's Pizza and then we'll come down. Tino's Pizza has a standing order for us so we'd be there anyway." He paused. "Well...we can always go out...maybe to a movie?"

Splinter snorted. "Donatello!"

"I gotta go, April. See you tomorrow." Donnie put down the phone. "So April has some stuff and thinks she is on to something that will help."

"Let's get to work, my sons."

The turtles and May stood up dutifully. "So where are the trash bags?"

The turtles brought out a wad of bags and May began scooping up empty containers and plastic flatware. It took several minutes to get the party cleaned up. The table was spotless again, leftovers in the battered refrigerator and the wrapping paper put aside.

May looked around and frowned. "Where is your soap? And a bucket?"

"More cleaning?" Mikey gaped.

Splinter walked into the room. "I would suggest giving in on this, Michelangelo."

"Awwww!"

May pulled the full bags aside and took her bucket of water to the counters. Splinter brought the turtles back into the back room to train. An hour later the elder emerged again and saw May scrubbing the floors.

"May," he said. "You will need to rest."

"I'm almost done..." she said weakly.

"Indeed," he said, walking behind her. "You will rest now. The floor will be there tomorrow." He shuffled his feet to allow her to hear him approach and set his hand on her shoulder. "It is time to rest." With a frown, he took the rag from her and picked up the bucket of filthy water. "Come here."

"But really—"

"Really." He sighed. "You do not need to be exhausted further."

May looked around and nodded. "Where may I sleep?"

Splinter's ears flicked. The turtles were arguing loudly about where she would be sleeping that night. "I believe that I will have you sleep in my room."

May turned pink and opened her mouth to speak, but said nothing. She nodded and followed Splinter into his sanctuary. His floor was covered with intricate throw rugs. Along one wall was a stained wooden shelf with several small mementos and lit candles. Splinter's new dragon incense burner was already in place with a pair of incense sticks in it. In a shadowed wall there were several racks of various weapons behind a pair of scruffy cabinets of drawers made from cardboard.

"There is not much, but we will gladly share what we have," said Splinter.

"I...Thank you," she said. "Please don't go to any trouble..."

"No trouble," Splinter said implacably. The turtles bowed low. "My sons are finished for tonight and will return tomorrow morning to begin their training."

"Really?" May breathed. "Can I...?"

Splinter looked at her with a speculative expression. "It is..very difficult."

May frowned and stared down at the floor. "I see." She smiled weakly. "I will try not to get in the way."

Splinter nodded slowly. "As you wish." He gestured towards one of the drawers. "There are blankets there."

May darted towards the drawers and drew out a single blanket. There was a corner that was darkened, but not near the weapons. Splinter was speaking softly to his sons and did not seem to mind as she settled down on the floor.

"We'll see you tomorrow morning, May," Mikey said as his brothers shoved him out of the room.

Splinter closed the door firmly and sighed. He turned to find May kneeling on the floor and spreading out her blanket. "You are not disturbed by my sons?"

May squeaked nervously. She stopped and thoughtfully turned around to face him. He seemed taller now—almost a giant over her. She flushed darkly. "Sh-sh-should I be?"

Splinter looked at her and knelt down. "You have nothing to fear here. Let us get some rest."

"I...of course. Sir," she added hastily.

Splinter pulled out another pair of blankets and went to another drawer to pull out a threadbare mat. He considered offering her the mat, but she was so determined to be as little trouble as possible that he hated to insist and prick her pride any further.

He knelt on the spread out mat. Never had his nightly ritual of meditation seemed so necessary. He was absolutely perplexed as to what to do next. He hoped that April would have some answers and that something could be worked out.

Unfortunately, it seemed like there would be chaos for now.

Splinter awoke the next morning with his usual alertness. Mae was huddled in her corner in a sprawl on her blanket and wrapped in the blue robe. He stood up and grimaced as one of his joints protested. The years were starting to weigh in on him—it seemed that lately he had been extra stiff in the mornings.

Almost as soon as he was fully stood up and had his kimono and obi in place, May was up and stretching as well. She stood quickly, dusted herself off, and began folding the borrowed blanket.

Splinter smiled at her. "It is early yet..."

She only looked at him expectantly. After an awkward silence, she said, "What is going to happen next?"

Splinter felt emboldened. This would not be so bad—she was young, but seemed eager to learn and adjust. She simply needed to be told the routine and probably would fit herself in. He took a relaxing breath and said, "First, I get some tea and we see to breakfast. My sons will be up and ready to train with me for the first part of the morning until lunch." He looked to see her response and found her listening to him attentively. "I believe that April will return this afternoon and have some...better fitting clothing for you to try."

She smiled shyly and nodded. "I'll try not to get in the way in the meantime."

Splinter nodded and let her go through the kitchen, where she rummaged and found a clean pot and began to heat the water. She wiped off the table again and set a place with a cup and their battered canister of sugar. Splinter sighed at her and sat down gratefully.

"Really, this is unnecessary," he tried to explain, but she had already turned to see what else was in the fridge.

Instantly she turned back to him and asked, "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, child," he said. "But there is no need to fuss around so. Sit and have a cup with me instead." She sat nervously, plucking at her sleeves. "So relax."

Leonardo staggered into the kitchen area and held his head wearily. "Good morning, Master Splinter."

"Good morning, my son," Splinter said, sipping his tea. "Is there anything wrong?"

"No Master Splinter," Leo said, snapping to attention.

"Good."

The morning proceeded. Apparently only Master Splinter took breakfast—toast with tea. The others came in and got some water only. May fetched cups of water and Splinter's toast without comment, just listening to their morning conversation. When Splinter announced it was time to train, she silently got up and began cleaning. Splinter watched for a moment and then turned his attention to his students.

After a few hours, the turtles emerged to the common area and then they stopped. The entire area had been cleaned. Video games were in their cases and controllers were neatly wrapped in their cords and stacked on top of the console. CDs and DVDs were in their cases. The pillows were neatly placed on the couch. The video game cabinets were dusted and the counters and kitchen area were wiped clean.

May appeared, wearily dragging several large trash bags.

Splinter stepped out and looked around as well. This was far cleaner than the lair had been for some time. Then he saw May heaving the heavy loads. "My sons, it appears that she needs our help." At once the turtles ran to her and began hauling out the garbage. "Take it to the surface for her. She has worked hard."

Michelangelo blew her a kiss as everyone took bags to the surface. Splinter took May's hands and led her to the couch. "You have done well. We thank you for your effort."

May flushed a bright color and she couldn't look him in his eyes. Splinter smiled at her, noting the dark circles under her eyes. "You should not overwork yourself."

"I want to help you," she shrugged.

The boys came back hooping and hollering, Mikey most of all. He crowed as he swaggered in. "We are so set! Look at this place!" Splinter frowned at them, but said nothing. "It's like a whole new lair!"

May coughed and then stood to go to the kitchen area. "Is it lunch time?" She opened the fridge and looked inside. "I'm afraid that there's not much in here except for frozen pizzas and some leftovers."

Suddenly all of the turtles were riveted to her. Raph shrugged cooly. "We can live with that."

"I see," she said, pulling out two boxes. Expertly, she set them out on sheets of aluminum foil and set them to baking in the minuscule oven. Taking out some of the leftover noodles and vegetables, she took out the sole pan and began warming it up. Again the kettle was filled and set up. The turtles wandered over to the couch and flopped down on the couch and turned on the television.

After about ten minutes, May began setting out the warmed up lunch. Splinter pulled open a drawer and brought out paper plates and plastic silverware. May thanked him softly as she pulled the second pizza out. In another few moments, the table was set.

"Sweet!" shouted Mikey. "It's lunch time!"

Abruptly, the table was surrounded by teenage turtles. Splinter frowned and pounded the ground with his staff. "You are not heathens! You will approach respectfully and quietly." He gestured at the couch. "Let us try it again."

The turtles looked at their teacher with gaping mouths. Sullenly, they walked back to the couch and walked slowly back. They took their seats and sat with their hands folded. Splinter nodded. "Better." He sat at the table. "Now we can eat."

May bustled around the table, bringing cups of water and fishing out utensils. Splinter pulled his noodles closer. "May!" he called, more sharply than he might have intended.

May shrieked and jumped. The handful of utensils in her hands spilled to the floor. She flushed darkly and bent to scoop them up. "I'm so, so sorry, sir."

"May," the rat replied, standing. "You are to eat with us as a family." May scrambled to get the last spoon and stood up nervously. "Please sit."

May's face was red and she dumped the utensils into the bowl sized sink. "I'm so sorry. Please go ahead with your meal and I'll pick these up."

"May," Splinter raised his voice and she approached the table. Glancing around, he noticed that there were no more stools. "Michelangelo, please bring over an extra seat for May." She thanked Mikey and perched on the edge and Splinter sat down again. "Please eat."

Splinter watched her carefully and noticed that she took the smallest portion possible and she ate silently. The brothers jostled for pizza and grabbed pieces swiftly, but she seemed to take her time as though stretching out the experience. He considered his own portion—the portion he had taken as a matter of course. It seemed a great deal compared to what she had taken.

The pizza disappeared quickly and May began cleaning again. Splinter took his own things to the sink. Speaking quietly to the flushing woman, he said, "We welcome you to our family—if you wish to join us."

"You are very generous," she murmured. "I don't know how to thank you."

"You have worked hard today," Splinter said. "That is more than enough." He tried to opt for humor. "And it is a thankless task to clean up after my sons." She let out a watery giggle and he smiled at her. "But I am grateful."


	5. Chapter 4

Over the next few days, a pattern emerged. She would rise with him and begin breakfast. During training, she would clean up the lair, sweeping, mopping and organizing. They would all sit down for lunch. After lunch, they would break until early evening when they would go on patrol. For a few hours, she would organize things—picking up stray shuriken, putting away Mikey's toys and cleaning. It seemed to be a restless time for her, but Splinter quickly realized she was giving him privacy and time alone in the other room. At last she would knock quietly and wait for his invitation before coming in to spread her blanket and sleep.

The routine proved very good in a few ways. The lair had never looked better—organized and clean. April had found a used abbayah robe from a Goodwill store in one of the Muslim districts and it covered May over every inch. As a result, May and April were able to go out and do some shopping—fetching supplies and actual groceries now that someone was cooking. Donnie had his bits and pieces, as well as fresh batteries. Raph had lineament and Mikey regularly had a new toy from some restaurant.

Splinter considered how to deal with the situation. Certainly there was more harmony now that no one was arguing about doing dishes, but his sons needed to be disciplined in all things. They were civilized in approaching the table now—even if they were not necessarily always pleased with their dinners. However, the boys were very quickly adjusting to having the necessary cleaning done for them. Usually there were a few hours of trying to get chores done that they could now spend playing games. But they were quickly getting used to being waited on.

And then there was May. She tenaciously cleaned up after the four teenage boys. She had even been granted permission to clean their sleeping spaces. With Donnie's help, she had arranged for shelves to be put in for the items he "couldn't" part with and now even Michelangelo slept in a clean area. He had occasionally tried to hint that the turtles should be helping out more, but as soon as one of them raised his voice in protest, she would rush in to do the chore. She was so proud that she could do this for them that she willingly took on all of the chores.

May and April came bustling in with another load of groceries that afternoon and while April trained, May put them away. The turtles milled around, checking out the bags and cheering at the two frozen pizzas in one of them before wandering back to their game.

Splinter was surprised to come out from training with April to find May sitting at the table with a few books—a Japanese cook book, a book on first aid, and then one of herbal remedies and massage. She barely noticed them come in.

"May," Splinter said.

May jumped a little—it did seem a little less each time—and glanced at the books all over the table. "Oh...sorry," she mumbled, her face flaming as red as her scars. "I'll clean them up and get dinner ready."

"Hmmm...," Splinter said, plucking at his beard. "Perhaps you deserve a night off?"

"It's not a problem. Just got lost in my books," she mumbled, taking out the pizzas and turning on the oven. She glanced at him and offered him a timid smile. "I've always gotten lost in my books."

Dinner was ready quickly and the turtles ate. May only picked at her portion, frowning to herself. The turtles finished artlessly fast as always and began to prepare to leave the lair. May picked up again and laid out Raph's muscle balm and a first aid kit on the table.

April frowned as the scene became somewhat tense. "I think that I need to go too." She grinned. "I can't wait to see the new movie and my dad wants me home at a 'reasonable' hour." She laughed.

"Oh, thanks for taking me out," May said shyly. "It was...fun."

"Yeah—nothing like some girl time." She looked over at Splinter's polite but solemn face. "Maybe we can do something tomorrow."

May frowned. "I don't think that I need to be out much more than I am." She sighed, looking at her books. "I did enjoy the library, though."

Splinter waited until April had disappeared and sat again at the table. "May, I would like to talk to you."

May looked up, her face ashen and hangdog as though she expected to be scolded. "I'm...truly sorry that dinner was late. It won't happen again."

"May-chan," Splinter said with a smile. "I am not going to scold you." He waved his hand. "The lair has never been so clean and there is no complaints about the meal." She offered him a rare smile. "But do not spoil my sons with your eagerness."

"You all saved me," she said seriously. "I...I want to do something to help you as well."

"You do much and ask very little in return," Splinter nodded. "But as teenagers might, I do not want them to become lazy while you are working too hard." He laid his hand on hers gently. "You can ask them to help—particularly with their private areas."

"I guess I see your point," May nodded slightly, her eyes still doubtful.

"Do not let them bully you," Splinter advised.

"Yes, Master Splinter," she said softly.

He chuckled dryly. She was bright and had begun speaking like his sons and April—addressing him as a "Master" and a few simple words and phrases of Japanese. "Let us send the turtles out for pizzas tomorrow." May pulled an embarrassed face. "After many thankless hours of cleaning, I believe that you deserve to rest." He flicked his ears. "You seemed a little...tired at dinner."

"Just a little," she admitted shyly.

"Then we will make them happy by ordering pizza."

May pulled out a paper folder and took out some coupons. "It's Wednesday tomorrow and Tino's does a nice deal where you can order three mediums for twenty dollars. I think that I've got enough to cover it. And if we use the coupon, we can get an extra one."

Splinter's ears flicked. "Where exactly do you get your money?"

May's ears turned pink again. "Well...we all work together. Mikey and I recycle and can get around ten or eleven a trip. April's dad helps us by saving their cans and bottles so we actually got fifteen this week." She shrugged. "Without an address, I can only get occasional work and...I-I am frightened anyway. So I work with April to set up her website for 'Strange Sightings in New York' and we get a little from ads on the site." She smiled wider. "Donatello is actually the breadwinner so far. He's worked out a scheme to do apps for phones and he makes some money every month." She chuckled softly. "Some of the apps are pretty silly, but he's got an eye for puzzles and a following now of people waiting for his games. I think that without anyone to fight, he'd be doing game programming and wealthy as Midas!"

"Hmmm," Splinter nodded.

May shrugged. "Between all the ads and coupons, April and I can rack up on basics for cooking." She glanced at the cookbook. "And I am getting better at it."

"Indeed."

"But—" May started and then stopped, looking down at their hands again.

"But?"

"But I don't do anything for you..."

Splinter smiled at her. "You do much for my family. Even Raphael is pleased to come home to you." Splinter reached for the massage book. "And it appears that you are looking to expand your skills...?"

She nodded. "I would like to. Everyone comes in so sore and injured that I thought maybe I could help..." She shot a glance at him and then a flirty smile. "Would you let me practice on you?"

Splinter coughed suddenly. He supposed it was fortunate that he was covered with fur, or else he was sure he would be as brightly red as she had been.

Instantly, May frowned and rushed to put the kettle on, bringing him tea. Finally she said sadly, "I'm sorry. I...I am sorry."

"No—it is not you," Splinter said, grateful for the tea. "I—"

"It's okay," she smiled sadly and gestured to her face. "I know what I look like." She sighed softly.

Splinter coughed again, his ears feeling hot. "I do not protest, but it is...unexpected."

May looked at him curiously and cautiously smiled. "Whenever you wish."

Splinter felt his face heat again and was peculiarly grateful for his fur one more time. If he were still human, he could just imagine how red his face would be. He sipped his tea cautiously. He did remember what it felt like to have a woman's gentle touch. Unlike his sons, he remembered being able to freely lay down with his chosen woman and enjoy her company. In a way, he had been dreading the inevitable day when one or another of his sons found similar company and shattered the turtles' innocence. He stood and washed out his cup and went to his nightly meditation, hoping for enlightenment and inspiration on how to deal with the situation.

May cleaned up, sweeping and so forth for another hour. Then she settled onto the beaten couch and began reading. It was a scant hour later, as she pored over a diagram of major muscle groups in the back, that the turtles came back.

Splinter looked at them calmly. "Did anything happen my sons? You are back early."

"We are...well," Leonardo began. "We wanted to talk to you..."

"Oh?" the ninja master asked, raising his eyebrows. When Leo gestured lamely at May, he smiled at her and gestured towards the door. She was surprised, but picked up her book and went into the other room and closed the door. "What is the trouble my sons?"

"Well...," Leonardo began, his cheeks a bit red. "We were wondering when... Well..."

"When what?" the rat asked in a softer voice.

"When do we get a chance with May?" Mikey blurted out, oblivious to the sudden hush in voices. Donnie and Raph growled at him and made shushing noises. "Hey," Mikey whispered. "I found her..."

Splinter about choked again. "You want me to do what exactly?"

"We want a chance to spend some time with her," Raphael admitted, looking a little embarrassed. Splinter only stared at him. "She won't do anything without your approval first and—"

"And you want my permission to court her?"

"Umm..," Raphael answered. "Something kind of like that..."

Mikey offered in a small voice. "Even April hangs out with us and everyone knows that she and Donnie are an item." Donnie glared at his youngest brother. "What?"

Raph dug his toes into the floor. "If you could just send her out occasionally. We're not going to hurt her, but—"

"But you expect me to hand her over like a pizza to be divided among you?" Splinter's voice rose angrily.

"Master Splinter," Leonardo started. "We know that she's been through a lot and we know how cruel Shredder can be, but she has to start...accepting us sometime."

"She can't hide forever," Mikey added.

Splinter sighed sadly. "Have any of you asked for her company?"

The turtles all looked at each other and then all flushed red. Leo answered, "I guess we can try that..."

Splinter smiled at his oldest. "I would indeed, try that."

Mikey looked thoughtful and then asked. "Master Splinter—you've always told us that it didn't matter what we looked like on the outside, that it was what was inside that counts. So how can we show her what's on our inside if she's never here to see it?" He looked mournful. "I mean...does she not like us?"

Raph growled at that and Splinter raised his eyebrows thoughtfully. "Try asking her first..."

The next night, the turtles cheered as they were sent out for pizza. They promised to return quickly as May handed them some folded bills. Splinter sat down at the table thoughtfully. "May...could you please come here?"

May ambled over with a kettle of hot water and Splinter's cup of tea. Splinter smiled as she served him tea and then settled down with him. "Is something...wrong Master Splinter?"

Splinter picked up the cup thoughtfully. "Have you felt safe here, May?"

May looked at him with a perplexed frown. "Yes—of course."

"My sons have treated you well? They are not harsh or bullying?"

"Of course, Master Splinter," May said, still frowning.

Splinter nodded at her. "Then would you object to spending time with them?"

May looked truly perplexed. "I...No...I mean... of course, I wouldn't mind spending more time with them Master Splinter." She flushed darkly. "I have tried to avoid being underfoot." She swallowed hard. "They all have such important tasks, I thought that they would appreciate me being out of the way..."

"They are eager to get to know you." Splinter paused, sipping the tea. "Have they asked you to spend time with them?"

May looked up at Splinter thoughtfully. "No one has asked me formally. I think that maybe...Leonardo tried, I think, but he kind of looked away and went back to his game."

"My sons are not used to being around a lady so much," Splinter explained. "They are naturally shy."

"I see," May said as she began to nibble her bottom lip. "I will make more of an effort..."

"I am glad," Splinter replied. "It is important to me that everyone is in harmony."

"Yes Master Splinter," she nodded. "I will be out tonight—if you think that it isn't too soon."

He chuckled dryly. "It is not too soon."

"For you—anything," she said.

Splinter felt the now familiar flush in his face. Her frowned and shook his head slightly. "No." May suddenly stopped still and looked at him with dismay. "Not for me," he insisted. "For yourself and my sons."

"But Master Splinter—!" she protested.

"No!" He set down the cup sharply. For a moment, his ears flicked back aggressively. "There are no buts."

She squeaked and nodded sadly. "As you wish..." She took a shaky breath and nodded. "Is there anything else?"

He sighed sadly. "Is it really such a terrible thing?"

"Of course not," she answered softly. "Is there anything else?"

"No."

Frowning, he watched as May crept away and began sweeping again. The turtles burst in a few moments later laden with boxes. May offered a shaky smile and brought out plates for everyone.

Mikey pulled up a seat next to himself and smiled innocently. "Hey May!" he shouted. "I've got a seat right here for you!"

May smiled and sat daintily next to him. Everyone took pieces of pizza and Splinter paused to catch May's eye. He cleared his throat softly.

May nodded and poked the piece of pepperoni pizza. Finally she glanced at Mikey and took a deep breath. At a lull in the conversation, she glanced shyly at Mikey and spoke softly. "Would you like to do something tonight?" Mikey looked at her shyly, his cheeks pouched with pizza and his eyes wide with shock. "If you're not busy, of course..." She stared back down at her slice shyly, with her face flaming.

The entire table was silent for a moment. Raphael spoke first, slamming down his pizza. "Well that's just nuts."

"Raphael!" Splinter snapped. "That is enough."

May looked at Raph wide-eyed and then glanced at Splinter and then back at the turtle. "Tomorrow we will...hang out."

Raph looked at her with a surprised look. For a moment, he frowned and then he stopped. "Well...OK."

Leo nodded and looked sharply at his pizza. Splinter tried not to gloat. Instead, he nudged Leo's foot gently.

"Hey!" Leo protested.

May frowned and looked at Leo in confusion. "Do you want the next...turn?"

Leo stared at her in confusion. "That sounds...nice."

Donnie smiled shyly. "Then I'll get a turn." He said it without modesty and without rancor.

"Of course," May nodded quietly. "We need to talk about your next project. Perhaps you can show me what to do to help you..."

Splinter tried not show any expression as the next week was planned out. Mikey and May sat down and he showed her how to play his favorite video game. Raphael and May went to a rooftop and returned quietly without comment—a first in most anyone's memory. Leonardo sat with May at the table, trying to start a conversation and failing miserably until there was a Foot incident. Afterward when May was doing first aid, she sat with him, gently massaging balms his arms and wrapping his ankle and making him comfortable. Donnie's "turn" was most perplexing as Donnie did nothing at all with her except hand her an electric device and shout for her to push various buttons.

The next week seemed unexpectedly lighter. Mikey was on Monday and again they played video games. Raphael took May out to a side tunnel at sunset and when they returned, they went to his private room for another hour of quiet conversation. Leonardo was surprised when she approached him again the next night and sat on the floor in front of the couch and let May massage his shoulders, arms, feet and hands. Splinter smirked as Leo seemed to become boneless as she continued to massage his shoulders and head. Donnie continued to shout at her to push buttons.

At the end of the week, Splinter was not surprised when she slunk into his room. She seemed to wilt in her corner. She took her blanket without comment and spread it in the corner.

"Is something wrong, May?" he asked.

She knelt with a heavy sigh. "It's nothing."

"You are very tired," Splinter observed. "Have things not been going well?"

"I'm just tired," she sighed. "It's been a long week."

"My sons have been enjoying your company." He spread out his mat thoughtfully. "They look forward to the time when they are your...companion." He glanced at her quickly, waiting for her to reply. Instead, she only seemed to be nodding wearily. "But are they taking too much of your energy?" He sat up and studied her a little. "Tell me—what do you talk about with my sons?"

May looked at Splinter. "Raphael talks about what makes him mad. Sometimes it seems that he just wants to be heard and paid attention to." She cocked her head. "Leonardo wants to have a break and have someone else take charge of caring for him. Mikey wants to be cuddled so much that I think that I'm going to get him a teddy bear and Donnie wants to have someone to test his gadgets." She stared into space for a moment. "He adores April, of course, so that's about all I can do for him."

Splinter sat down in a lotus position. "Tell me if they are wearing you out too much."

May was already asleep.

He sighed. It was not the first time someone had fallen asleep while he was talking with them. It would not be the last. He closed his eyes and began to focus on emptying his emotions out. Without emotion, he could more easily see what needed to be done.

He drew in a deep breath, feeling the air fill his body and wash away his tension. Perhaps he should teach May to meditate. It would help her ease her tension. There was still a certain fearful way that she still moved, as though she expected to be attacked. He drew in another deep breath. The Shredder had not been gentle with her, obviously, but that had been some weeks ago. His breath hissed out. He would have to find something to help her focus at first. She rarely spoke of anything from before she came to live with them it might be a problem to find something pleasant to concentrate on.

His breath flowed out and then came in again. At least he had his picture of Tang Shen and Miwa. He could always find some measure of peace by looking at that photograph. He let his breath out and stood up. On soundless paws, he went to look at the worn photo.

He hadn't studied the picture for some time—the entire scene was etched in his head and heart. The photographer had used a wide angle lens or something and her face was more moon shaped than she had been in real life. Miwa had a round face naturally, but the lens and the photo had flattened it like a platter. Her arms looked puffy and his looked like sticks. But now that he was looking, he could see some of the features that May shared with her. May had a slightly more sharp nose. Her chin had an adorable little dimple in it. But her eyes were like Tang Shen's—almond shaped and sharp and intelligent. They shared the same glossy black hair going down their backs. Her cheekbones were sharper—but that was likely diet. Tang Shen had a smoother complexion in a pale tan. But in some ways they could be sisters or cousins.

A thought drew near and some part of his mind shooed it away. He drew in a deep breath and stared at the picture and then at May's sleeping form. She would curl up and sleep on the scars, as though she feared—even in sleep—to show them. The thought came to him again slowly and again he shooed it away. Tang Shen had been a back sleeper and laughed that she laid down like a corpse. But there was an unsettling albeit vague resemblance. Particularly if she was in a dimly lit area.

He sat down at his mat again, breathing deeply. It had been more than fifteen years since she had died and he had lived all of them like a yamabushi monk. He had his sons and his art and had not sought more. He drew in another deep breath.

He was about to lay down himself when May twitched violently and shrieked in her sleep. Suddenly, she bolted upright and swinging her arms wildly. Her brow glistened and tears fell from her eyes.

Splinter stood and approached her gently. "May—are you all right?"

She looked at the room wildly and then seemed to realize where she was. "I...I dreamed—"

The boys were at the door and knocking and Splinter went to answer. He looked at them and said, "She had a bad dream."

Raph groaned. "Tell her—"

"Raph!" Leo snapped grouchily, sheathing his weapons. "Let's just get back to bed."

"Indeed," Splinter said, looking at his weary sons.

"Tell her I'll hold her tight!" Mikey grinned.

"I will...but she needs some time to collect her thoughts." Splinter closed the door gently and went back to May. May was wrapped in the blanket and despite the sweatshirt and heavy pajama pants she had gotten from April, she was still shivering. "May...what was your dream?"

She looked at him mournfully. "I'm sorry to wake everyone up." Two more tears spilled down her face. "I didn't mean to." She sniffed. "I dreamed that the Shredder had killed them..." She flushed darkly. "I dreamed he was here and everyone was dead and no one could find you..." Another tear fell down her cheek.

Splinter knelt across from her. "As you can see, everyone is well and I am here." May nodded silently. "It was a bad dream—!" Suddenly May bolted to a trashcan and retched. Splinter grimaced. Michelangelo had bad dreams when he was young and he would vomit. He stroked her back and patted her hand and waited for her stomach to settle. "You will feel better in a moment."

May knelt down, grabbing the edge of the trashcan. It was lucky that there was a bag in this one so she could close it and get the smell out of here. Crying softly, she accepted the wet cloth to wipe her face and then bagged it up. She crept out with the bag, taking it outside the lair and waving at Mikey as he sleepily smiled at her from the couch. Coming back from their trash drop off point, Mikey was gone—probably back to bed—and May slunk through the lair back to Splinter's room.

Splinter had shaken out her blanket and had hung it up across a chair. Sitting patiently, he knelt and seemed to be meditating when May came back in. "May-chan," he said softly. "Come here."

May grimaced and sniffled, but knelt beside him. Stiffly he reached out and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "May," he said patiently. "Tell me what frightens you so."

May crumpled easily and huddled against him. "I'm afraid." She sighed as he pulled her closer. "I'm afraid that everyone here will be killed because of me." Splinter hugged her closely, drawing her into his lap like he had done for each of his sons. "I don't want to go back outside because I'm afraid that I'll be seen."

"May-chan," Splinter said soothingly. "Tell me...what do you really believe will happen?" May opened her mouth but he interrupted. "Not what you are afraid will happen, but what do you really think will happen."

"I think that he'll kill me," she whispered into Master Splinter's chest.

"Really?" Splinter said. "No one has mentioned you even in passing." May looked up at him tearfully. "My sons have twice fought off the Shredder since you arrived and he has made no mention of you." He stroked May's hair gently. "It is possible that he has forgotten you or is not interested in pursuing you." May shuddered in his arms. "So you see May-chan, perhaps it is not as bad as your fears are making it seem..."

"Maybe," she mumbled, cuddling him closer. It had been ages since she felt so warm and his fur was so soothing against her cheek. She put her head on his chest sleepily, listening to the steady thumping of his heart. It was like being held by a teddy bear. "Maybe you're right."

Splinter chuckled nervously, feeling May grow more relaxed in his arms. Time would soothe her in ways he could not—showing her that she was truly safe. And it felt very pleasant indeed to have a soft, feminine form cuddled against him. The universe was truly balanced in that way—yin and yang, soft and hard, male and female.

A guilty thought came to him. Tang Shen would not have liked this—another woman held so closely. Though she was beautiful in many ways, she had tended to be possessive of him. It had been amusing to see her little stratagems—the feminine ways that she had subtly let other women know that he was hers. It wasn't anything impolite or objectionable—a slight dig here or a flash of her simple gold ring there. He had found it all so amusing to see her gentle ways of driving off competitors that were so different from his own but just as effective.

It was yin and yang.

Sighing sadly, he tried to maneuver May to her corner. Unfortunately, her fingers were tangled in the lapels of his kimono and he could not quite get them out. Sighing again, he drew them both to his mat and covered them both with a blanket. The silk quilt they had hung up over a spare bo staff and it gleamed quietly in the dim light. It had seemed like a shame to put such a beautiful quilt on the floor and by some tacit agreement they had hung it for display rather than use it.

May awoke slightly, her fingers tight around the rope she had held in her dream. Blearily, she gripped it tighter, feeling boneless and relaxed and surrounded by furry warmth. She pressed against the warmth and it felt like she was surrounded by rich quilts and furs like the romance novels she had read. She closed her eyes again, promising herself that she would get up soon. She could see her mother's silk quilt and felt quite assured she was safe. She snuffled a little—a spicy, salty smell coming to her. But then a gentle hand stroked her hair and she gripped whatever it was and she slept again.

Leonardo and Michelangelo were the first to rise. Unexpectedly, neither May nor Master Splinter seemed to be in the kitchen area. Mikey gestured and Leo nodded and they crept to Master Splinter's door. Grinning wildly, Leo threw back the door and they gaped to see May and Master Splinter on the same bed, wrapped in each other's arms. Splinter tensed and glared at the teenagers and they closed the door.


	6. Chapter 5

Splinter was so mad he almost hissed. Not only had he been in a particularly pleasant dream of Tang Shen, but he had overslept for the first time in years. May must have felt the sudden tension because she curled closer to him, trapping him in her grip and her hair tangling around his chest and neck. Then she blinked up at him sleepily and smiled.

The turtles must have all woken up because there was snickering outside his door. Standing and helping May to her feet, he sighed with a frown. May tensed, hearing the snickering.

"It cannot be helped," Splinter said softly. "We must face them."

She grimaced. "We did nothing wrong."

Splinter shot her a telling glance. "They will assume the worst." May shuddered in distaste. "You may stay here if you cannot face them."

"I will go with you," she replied.

All four students were in the common room, waiting and giggling. The kettle had been started, along with some toast. Splinter pulled aside the door and let May come through first.

"Good morning, Master Splinter," all of the turtles chorused.

May smiled at them, her cheeks flaming. "Good morning. Thank you for starting breakfast."

Everyone sat down at the table, watching May and Master Splinter closely. Mikey broke the silence first, grinning wildly, "So did you two love birds sleep well?"

May's eyes went wide as she poured the hot water for Splinter's tea. "We slept...well." She frowned and returned the kettle to the burner. "I must apologize for waking everyone else up." She glanced at them. "It was a bad dream."

"Of course it was," Mikey grinned wickedly as Leo and Donnie snickered.

Splinter frowned and sipped his tea. "You have had many such bad dreams, Michelangelo." The teens snickered again. "As everyone is already awake, we will begin training."

"Awww," Mikey groaned, recognizing the gleam in Splinter's eye. "But isn't there anything you want to tell us?" Raph jabbed him in the shoulder. "Ow!"

"Shhh!" Raph hissed.

"May," Splinter barked. "Call April and spend the day with her and Kirby."

May looked up in surprise, flinching a little at the sudden harsh tone. "Yes, Master Splinter."

The ninja master barely flicked a glance at her. "Turtles, we will begin training as soon as May leaves."

April might have been surprised to be called so early on a Saturday, but was game to spend some time with May. Kirby drove her to the alley and they picked up the other woman. Going back to the condominium, they watched some cartoons and ate a leisurely breakfast of Coco-Choco-Yums and milk. Kirby—already a nervous sort—had been alarmed at the apparently cloaked Muslim figure, but was even more alarmed to look at her face and see the scars down one side. But she and April were busily doing things that were so...well, normal—doing their nails, looking at fashion magazines, listening to music—that he didn't feel the need to break them up.

April was grinning madly as she sat May down and began painting her nails. She had always wanted a sister to do this kind of thing with—little heart stickers on pink polish and little jeweled stickers on the pinkies. May had taken a brush and painted little cat paw prints on April's toes as they had watched a soap opera and now April was concentrating on painting a flower on May's ring fingers. They were going to raid the fridge and fix cucumber sandwiches and tea—something Kirby hated and nobody but Splinter even considered real food—and do a hair wrap next.

But May was a little pale. April grinned at her, "C'mon. My artwork isn't that bad!"

"It's not that," May giggled back. "I'm just not feeling well."

"Oh really?" April asked. She stuck her tongue out one side of her mouth as she concentrated. The slightest movement and the flower would be ruined.

"Yeah," May said. "I woke everyone up with a bad dream..." She flushed. "Then I upchucked and had to clean it up."

"Sounds like tension," April said, examining her handiwork. "Mikey has nightmares like that too." She blew on the design. "So what about Master Splinter?"

May suddenly jerked and coughed heavily. "Wha—?"

April smiled widely. "Leo called me and told me before Donnie took the T-Phone away and then we were cut off." She winked in a saucy matter. "So give! What happened?"

May took in a deep breath. "Nothing...really!" She sniffed and then glanced at her friend. Embarrassed, she added softly, "But not from lack of want—"

"Eeep!" April said. Kirby coughed suddenly from the couch and turned the volume up on the football game on the radio. "Oh hon! We gotta get you ready!"

"Wait! What?" May asked in confusion.

"I've always wanted to make someone over," April confided, pushing May into her bedroom. "But when I got involved with Donnie there never was time." She sat May on the bed and opened up the closet. "So let's see..."

"Hey," May piped up. "I'm not even going to see Master Splinter until late tonight. Mikey wants to take me through Robo-Battle Brawl II tonight."

"Tell him you're going to take a rain check," April enthused, taking out a filmy shirt. "Heck...I'll tell Mikey that you're taking a rain check." She held the shirt up to May and then stuck out her tongue again. "You know...I'd love to have your shape."

May looked at her. "My shape? You're the one with four—five, counting Casey—"

"I'd rather not," April said. "Yeah—you've got the bust I always wished for."

May glanced down. "I wish that I could give you half of it."

"Look," April said. "Try on this...and this...and how about this skirt? Or the blue? What about the pink? Definitely not this one!" She tossed aside the black leather skirt and handed May a filmy shirt, a tank top with beautiful beading on the front in the shape of a butterfly, and a tight skirt. "Go change and let's see how this looks."

May went into the bathroom dutifully. April grinned and waited impatiently. When May came out, she looked amazing. "Oh turn around!" April said, bouncing on her toes. She sighed when she saw that the skirt wasn't quite fastened. "OK, so the skirt gets changed. But the top is fabulous!"

"I don't know that I need to show off my scars quite that much..." May said flushing.

"Don't worry. When I'm done with you, you'll be irresistible." May frowned and watched April begin rooting through the closet again, but dutifully took the next few changes of clothes. April couldn't help but hoot at the next combination—a pretty pink tank with an awful green skirt. May laughed too—it was just too hideous a combination. While May was changing again, April dug out her bag of cosmetics.

May came out looking uncomfortable. April tried to smile, but May looked so embarrassed it was killing the mood. Then a thought came to her. "Hey...umm...the guys are like...well, guys. If you need some...female stuff, just reach under the sink."

May turned scarlet. "No...I haven't...well..."

April frowned, suddenly serious. "Really? I mean... Really?!" May nodded. "Oh hon... We've got to get to a drug store."

Kirby was amused as May came out draped in her black robe again and April burbled that they needed to go out to the drug store. He didn't really expect a reply—April was often secretive about where she was going—but the jumble of embarrassing looks and words made him worry a little. Still, the girls were back in about twenty minutes with bags and again rushed into April's room.

May was ripped out of her robes and pushed into the bathroom with the kit. Praying harder than she had ever done before, she followed the instructions with both tests. She stepped out and whispered, "They have to wait for five to ten minutes."

"Sucky tests," April said. Then she pulled out a long, crumpled skirt with a bohemian flare and a tie dye in a multitude of shades. "This should so work."

Kirby stuck his head into the room nervously. When he saw the utter mess of fashion sorted into some chaotic system, he tried to smile. "Say, April... We've got Grandma O'Neil's stuff in the storage downstairs. She had some really nice stuff you all could try on."

"Oh my gosh!" April squealed with glee. "All that vintage stuff is so hot right now." She grinned at May. "And it's all like lacy and stuff and covers absolutely everything."

Again, May was swept into a storm of fashion decisions. She protested taking more than a few things—these were beautiful heirloom clothes after all—but April was very persuasive and determined to put May in the best possible light. So they picked out a lacy robe and nightgown set, the butterfly tank top and filmy shirt over it, and the bohemian tie dye skirt.

With a devilish grin, April tossed May a towel. "Get cleaned up and get ready for glamor!"

"You are so wicked," May said softy.

"Hey, I try," April said, tossing a pile of rejects into the bottom of the closet. "So get cleaned up already."

May giggled—secretly glad to be able to shower like a human—and went into the bathroom. Dropping her clothes on the floor, she turned on the stream of water. Billows of steam came out. Then she saw the unobtrusive little sticks on the sink. The door closed with a click and she reached out shakily.

Two lines. There were two little lines on each one.

May about screamed. In her head, she was screaming, but her body went to autopilot and she stepped into the shower. The tears came in there—sliding down her cheeks as she washed her hair properly with Lime-Ginger shampoo and conditioned it with some exotic stuff. Soap bubbles washed away weeks of grime and she could only let the tears fall.

"Hey!" April called, banging on the door. "You have to come out sometime!"

"Just a minute!" May called back.

The shower had grown cold—why hadn't she noticed that? May picked up her clothes mechanically, folding the sticks in them. Clumsily, she wrapped the towel around her body and dried off before wrapping up in a bathrobe. Her hair would dry by itself, she decided, grateful as it fell in its usual goth cowlick over her face.

April would not be stopped. First May's hair was combed and put into rollers. Then she carefully began applying concealer over the scars on May's back, carefully blending it in and then powdering it. May put on the tank top and skirt and April whipped the towel around her shoulders. It took some skillful handling, but April was finally satisfied with her face. Taking down her hair, they bantered back and forth, deciding on a soft chignon at her neck.

May was amazed at the transformation. Her skin looked actually luminous, if you didn't look too closely. Her eyes were shadowed, but no longer looked puffy and scared and the last of the bruising had faded at some point. April had foregone blush and concealed the facial scars as best as she could. She looked almost—whole.

"You are a magician," May sighed. "Oh my gosh..."

"I try," April giggled. Carefully, she began bundling up the robe and gown. On impulse, she dropped in another tank top—one that Kirby had complained was too revealing—and a few samples of makeup she had gotten from the drug store. As she picked up May's clothes, the two sticks tumbled out.

April picked them up curiously then looked up to May, watching her. There were two dark pink lines in the windows. "Oh..." she said.

May turned white—the careful make up now seeming garish. "Yeah." She fiddled with the skirt. "Look...I am all messed up. I'll totally understand if you...don't want to—"

April smiled weakly. "Well, I suppose that Master Splinter has plenty of practice being a dad." She sighed. "Oh my gosh. How do you tell a ninja master...?"

Kirby stuck his head in. "Tell a ninja master what?"

"Eeep! Dad!" April yelped. "Warn a girl."

"You're the ninja in training, not me." Kirby pointed out with infallible paternal reasoning. "But I thought you'd like to know that the T-Phone has been going off."

"Dad! Why didn't you tell me?!" April lunged out of the room to grab the beeping phone.

Donnie said, "Hey..."

"Hey Donnie. What's up?" April flopped on the couch. How the heck do you tell Master Splinter?! For a moment, her mind wandered, wondering at the logistics of a six foot tall half-human/half-rat and a five five human, but her mind shied away from it. There were seriously some things she didn't want to think about.

"Ohh..ummm...nothing." Donnie groaned. "Umm...is May still with you?"

"Yeah, Donnie. Why?"

"Can we speak to her?"

"Yeah. Hold on." April stood on shaky knees and went to hand the phone to May.

May took the device wordlessly. "He-he-hello?"

"It's Donatello," April whispered.

"Can I come home now please?" May asked tearfully.

Donnie stared at the phone. Mikey and Raph were at the kitchen table, basting each other with lineament and Leo just laid on the couch groaning. Master Splinter had been unrelenting in training, driving them harder and further than he had in a long, long time. Peculiarly, Master Splinter had not mentioned the incident this morning. Normally, he would have demanded apologies, but not this time. Instead, he had only pressed them harder and harder. Not that they hadn't giggled at first—who wouldn't at catching their father with a lover?—but all of that was forgotten as Splinter had beaten them over and over.

"Please, Donnie?" May whispered.

Donnie frowned even more as Mikey turned away from the fridge—a first—and simply drug himself to his sleeping area. Raph looked ready to turn in as well—but he didn't make it very far and only laid his head on the table.

April watched as May grew more and more pale and the phone stayed silent. May wobbled a little on her feet, the phone almost falling completely. April sighed. Whatever this was, this was bad. Taking the phone, she pushed May towards the couch. "Donnie, it's April." She sighed. "Tell Mikey that he'll need to take a rain check—" There was groaning in the background. "But we'll bring pizza and come on down."

"Wow...pizza would be...great, April." Donnie smiled for the first time all day. Master Splinter came out and glared at his sons and Donatello gulped. "Look...ummm... I guess just come on...down?" He looked towards Master Splinter, who only nodded and went back to his room.

"Yeah...we'll bring pizza." April looked at May. "And salad too. Maybe breadsticks."

Kirby looked at the two pale women and frowned. "Ummm...April?" April looked at her dad sadly. "How about I throw in for some...uhh...sake?" April smiled at him weakly and he flushed and murmured. "I never...uhh...donated to the cause before. What kind should I get?"

"Donnie," April barked. "Umm...what kind of sake should Kirby get?"

"How would I know?" Donnie groaned. "We're just teenagers!" A sound came from Master Splinter's room. "Umm...look. Just anything is fine. Give us about an hour?"

"An hour. OK," April agreed. Frowning, she hung up.

May looked at her expectantly. Whether she expected to be welcomed or exiled was anyone's guess. "So am I allowed to go home or not?"

Kirby looked shocked, but April nodded. "Yeah...we're bringing dinner." She leaned over and kissed her father. "Thanks Dad. You're terrific."

"Couldn't do anything but help my favorite girl," Kirby said, flushing with happiness. "You know...you remind me of your mother..."

"Aww, Dad," April said with a blush.

"So let me pick up the sake," Kirby said, fumbling in his pockets. "Umm..keys. Keys. Where are my keys?" He patted down his pockets again. "Have you seen my keys, April?"

April laughed and pointed to them on the table. "We'll call into Tino's pizza." May and April fished out a well worn take out menu and ordered four pizzas and a salad. Then they turned on some meaningless, fluffy cartoon and waited for Kirby to return. About half an hour later, Kirby came in with a plain paper bag with a boxed set of a bottle of sake and two tiny cups. Muttering that he didn't know anything about sake—he rarely even had a beer—he bundled both girls into the car and swung by Tino's. There was a huge backup and so it was every bit of an hour before Kirby let April and the what May herself called the 'Big Black Blob' out into an alley.

There was a bit of a trick to going down the manhole cover with four pizzas, a salad, a duffle of clothes, a bottle of perfume, and a last minute pair of mules. April and May both carried flashlights on little keychains for just this kind of situation. Thankfully, this was a shallow climb—only about eight feet—and then evened out into service tunnels. They heard Kirby pull away above them and then they started down the narrow walkways.

Meanwhile, Master Splinter knelt in meditation. He was absolutely furious. Years of dedication and discipline and he had failed spectacularly in a single night. It didn't matter that nothing untoward had happened. No one would believe that—not when it was so much more entertaining to think the opposite.

His fists balled up. Six hours of training and somehow he was still ready to roar out his anger. Had he really fallen so low? Where was the studied calm he needed so badly? But he couldn't find it. Every time that Leo had shot a knowing look to his brothers, every snicker from Mikey had driven him further. Splinter felt his jaw clench. There was no help for it. They were bound to think the worst. He would have assumed the same had the positions been reversed. At best, he would have kept it to himself. But he would have assumed that the worst had happened—no matter what the explanations were—and would have further assumed that it had been happening for some time.

What would Tang Shen say? She would be furious! The rat felt his tail clench in anger before he remembered—she was gone. There was no feminine fury to face—only an empty room and a few photographs. This made him angrier. May had relied on him for safety and shelter and to protect her from embarassment and shame. What had he done? He had grabbed at an excuse to keep holding her and enjoyed the sweetness of having her warmth next to him. Shen would have... But she was gone and if he wasn't very careful, May would be too.

"Chikusho!" he snarled at himself. "Beast!" For that was what he was...

April and May approached the lair quietly. Everything had been still and silent. Instead of game playing and the friendly banter, there was only soft moans and groans. The lair was barely lit—and no light came from Master Splinter's room at all. In fact, the turtles were all remarkably absent, except for Leo who was apparently asleep on the couch with a bag of ice chips on his knee.

"Oh my gosh!" April groaned. "What happened? Did the Foot come through?"

Leo groaned and shook his head. "No...nothing like that." April did not look convinced and May stood like a black ghost, watching him with large, worried eyes and her arms full of boxes. Leo managed to sit up and the girls began to set out the pizzas. They helped the turtles to the table and distributed pizza. May tucked a box into an unfamiliar duffle and clucked over them as they helped a zombified Mikey sit at the table.

"Uuuhhh," Mikey groaned with his eyes closed. "Please no more push ups." The scent of pizza seemed to revive him a little, but he ate with little more than a grin.

"What on earth happened?" May asked, flinching as Raph held his aching head and groaned in response. The turtles only pointed to Master Splinter's dark room.

May gulped. She looked nervously at April and then gathered up a plate of pizza, the salad and her duffle and went to the door. She almost couldn't bring herself to knock. But she had to—the two little white test sticks dared her not to.

"Not now," Splinter snapped. "Not unless you want more training!"

"M-m-master Splinter...?" May called.

There was a shuffle. The door slid open and Splinter looked at her with a start. "I did not mean to snap, May..."

"Of course not," she agreed. Shuffling slightly under her robe—the damn thing was hot—she jiggled the box of salad and the plate of pizza. "Could I offer you a peace offering?" She wiggled a bit. "Or at least take this off?"

Splinter's ears flicked back and he glanced at his sons. All of them were studiously pretending that nothing was happening and concentrating like it was the last pizzas on the planet. "As you wish..." He stepped aside and let May come in.

May had barely stepped into the darkened room when Splinter closed the door behind her. With agility and silence, he lit a few of the votive candles on the shelf, bathing them with faint candle light. May took a deep breath and went to where Master Splinter sat in rigid posture, staring at nothing. She debated kicking off the ballet pumps that April had talked her into, but then decided that putting down the pizza was best.

She arranged the plates in front of him silently and he didn't even twitch a whisker in her direction. If anything his back became more rigid. Sighing, she moved to drop the duffle at her usual place, starting at the noise in the silent room. The box rattled noisily and May grinned in relief. If there was ever a call for a tension breaker, this was it—and Splinter hadn't even heard the worst part. She took out the box and brought it over to the candles. Splinter still hadn't moved.

May took a deep breath and slid out of the heavy outer robe. Splinter didn't even move—not a sound—and May hoped that she wasn't as pale as much as she felt. She let the fabric fall—April had told her to do that—and looked at the box again.

The box was actually a bit decorative—gold characters on black. But wasn't sake supposed to be heated? May frowned and turned the box over and over. There was writing on the front—a bunch of characters with an exclamation point. Hopeful, she turned the box on the back to see if there were instructions. Of course—May cursed her luck—they were in Japanese.

Shrugging to herself, she opened the box and took out the bottle. Cradling the cups in her hand, she turned to face Splinter.

Splinter stared in her direction. For a moment, May thought he had relaxed and she timidly smiled in his direction. She liked his face—how the swirls of black and brown fur seemed to blend into the shadows like he was a kami or spirit come for her. She liked his broad shoulders too, and how his hands were always strong and steady. Smiling a bit more, she bowed at him—trying to remember all that April told her about bowing and showing a little cleavage at the same time. Silently, since he hadn't moved, she opened the bottle and poured the clear liquid into one of the cups, which she presented to him.

"Master Splinter," she said softly. "Please...say something."

"I...I am sorry," Splinter said, bowing his head low.

May looked at him a bit hysterically. "Sorry?"

"My sons," he grunted. May stared at him in confusion. "I had never intended to have them mock you."

May was still bewildered. "But I don't understand?"

"They assumed..," he gestured towards the door.

"They assumed that we were...together?" May offered. She thought about that. It was admittedly not the happily ever after she had dreamed out as a little girl with pink princess dresses and her dolls, it was not an unpleasant thought. "Is that a problem?"

"I will not have them disrespect you," Splinter gritted out in a low voice.

"I...I'm sure they mean no disrespect," she said. "They are young and...well..." She took a deep breath. "Well...it would not be...unwelcome." Splinter glared at her and she felt herself wilt a little. "I mean..." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I am...well...willing..." She took in a sharp breath and looked up at him.

Splinter's breath hissed in and he tried not to clench his fists again. "It is..." He sighed, suddenly feeling sore and tired and not at all sure what he was trying to say. The pizza smelled good. "Let us eat."

May nodded and popped open her salad. It was the usual tasteless salad of pink tomatoes, flavorless iceberg lettuce, matchstick carrots. But it was healthy. She glanced at the blue of her skirt. So much for April's prediction she would be irresistible.

"The...makeup," Splinter said, seeming to fumble for the right word. "It is...different."

"Is different good?"

"You are beautiful as you are," Splinter said evenly, finally loosening up enough that he noticed the little cup of liquid. "The—" He gestured towards her eyes. "It is...too much."

May laughed a little. In a hushed whisper she replied, "I think so too, but April insisted."

"April?" Splinter frowned as he picked up the little cup. So, even she had a hand in this. He sipped cautiously.

May giggled a little and pulled off her little slippers. "She even insisted on doing my toes."

Splinter glanced at her toes, his eyes driven to look more at her ankles and the little bit of calf she displayed. The skirt was thin and loosely woven cotton and offered tantalizing glimpses of her shape. He shook his head as though to clear it and took a gulp of sake.

May refilled his cup when he sat it down and went back to her salad. She waited a bit, as Splinter picked up the pizza and began nibbling it. They ate in silence and no one even approached their door for some time.

Splinter felt the sake warm his bones. May kept his cup filled attentively and ate in silence, apparently not minding as he looked at her. He grinned to himself, suddenly feeling the glow of alcohol. "Where did you get the sake?"

May nodded. "Kirby offered."

"He is a good man," Splinter nodded. "I will have to thank him."

May nodded. "He is very nice and we had a lovely visit."

Splinter sighed, suddenly replete. A lesser man would have gotten more and accepted the invitation from May—or made one of his own—but he was not such a man. They all could go on. This was embarrassing, but not fatal.

May smiled at him suddenly and laughed.

"Do I look funny?" he asked suddenly.

"No, Master Splinter," she said suddenly. "But..." She chuckled. "I suppose that I'd better show you everything."

Splinter felt himself grow heated. "Everything?" He choked out the word. "There is more?"

"April thought that you might like..." She gestured lamely to the bag.

He rolled his eyes. This was perfectly hilarious if he had the energy to laugh. Even April was determined to match him up. "Let's see everything then." He held up his hand. "But only if you truly want to." His eyes twinkled. "Not to satisfy anyone else but you."

She giggled and set down the box of salad. Going over to the bag, she picked up the robe and gown. Shaking it out, she flushed. Understanding, he closed his eyes. After some shuffling and other sounds, he heard her call his name softly and opened his eyes.

May was in an absolutely beautiful pink silk gown with a sweetheart neckline that showed just the tops of her breasts and fell in a straight waterfall of pink silk to her feet. Over it was a filmy silk robe in chiffon with gathered lace at the hems that reminded him of old black-and-white Hollywood movies.

Splinter sighed in appreciation. "You are loveliness itself."

May smiled and twirled around. "I'm glad that you like it."

"Indeed. You are truly beautiful."

May knelt and swept up the trash into the can. Splinter took her hand and bowed over it. Sighing heavily, he said, "But you will need to be patient." At her questioning look he continued. "Be patient with me and we will take this one step at a time. You may be ready, but I do not think that I am."

"I see," May said, coloring. "I will be patient."

Splinter nodded and suddenly things went to their familiar routine. He sat in his kneeling meditation, and May took out her blanket. But this time, instead of going directly to bed, she glanced at him. Creeping closer, she started to lay down her blanket not quite next to him, but caught his frowning gaze, and went back to her normal place.

The next morning happened normally—Splinter and May up before anyone else. April had gone home at some point during the night, and the turtles were stiff from yesterday. May smiled at Mikey, promising him a massage that night for his turn. Mikey smiled in appreciation.

"So uhh...what do we do now?" Mikey asked. "Are you like some kind of mama-san or something?"

May flushed red. "It's really not...like...that." She briskly picked up some odds and ends—stuffing the plastic wrapped disposable flatware into a drawer. "Really...it was a misunderstanding."

Leo smirked. "Oh really?"

May stared at him icily. "Yes. I had a nightmare, he comforted me and I fell asleep. If anything, I need to be apologizing to him."

Leo looked at her, blinking in surprise. "Yes, ma'am."

May nodded at him and turned back to her task. Splinter looked at her solemnly and gestured towards the training room.

"Let's begin," he said, closing the topic.

The training was normal intensity—a blatant relief from yesterday. May felt her stomach heave and she scrambled for a bag. Thankfully she managed to grab one and let her stomach retch without a big mess. She tossed the bag and continued the chores. Everyone came in to May's chicken soup with noodles and grilled cheese sandwiches. There was no particular conversation.

Splinter took his bowl of soup and looked at May curiously. "You were ill again this morning. Perhaps you should see a doctor?"

May colored. "No, I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Splinter looked solemnly at the bowl. "I could hear you quite clearly as my sons were training." His large ears flicked irritably. "At least have Donatello examine you." May tried to protest again, but Splinter looked at her sternly, expecting her obedience. "One or the other."

May frowned. A doctor would be risky—someone who might betray her or the turtles. It wasn't like she could exactly hide her scars. Perhaps someone in the Muslim community where her heavy robes would seem normal? She looked nervously at Donnie, who returned her gaze with a faltering half smile. "Very well... When would be good Donatello?"

"Uhh...," Donnie looked at Master Splinter nervously. "I guess...after training?"

"Whenever is good," she said shrugging nervously. "I'm not going anywhere."

Splinter nodded and finished his soup. He put down the bowl. "We will do meditation training this afternoon. Everyone clean up."

The dishes were quickly cleaned and put away. Splinter glanced at Donatello and said, "You may be excused." He glanced at May. "You as well. I will expect your results as soon as they are ready."

"Yes Master Splinter."

Donnie took May by the hand and led her to his lab. He muttered to himself as he dug through his boxes of bits and pieces. "So... I don't always know how humans do things, but I guess we can fake it, right?"

May sat down obediently and let him look in her ears and eyes and up her nose and down her throat. He took out an incredibly old stethoscope and began listening to her chest. "Umm...I guess you're doing OK." He sat down across from her. "So tell me what's been going on..."

May groaned in agony. "Umm...I think that there's something you should know..." Donnie looked at her expectedly. "I'm...well, I think I'm pregnant."

Donnie gaped at her. "Umm... how...? When?" His face screwed up in confusion. "Umm..does Master Splinter know? How could you be sure if you and he—"

"Donnie," May said sadly, shaking her head. "I haven't told anyone. I didn't even know until April helped me get some tests."

"Tests?" Donnie asked, confused. "Could you show them to me?"

May nodded and went to Master Splinter's room. Knocking softly, she waited until Master Splinter opened the door. He looked at her with a strange expression and let her come in. Grabbing the first stick she saw from the duffle, she wrapped it in a scarf and took it to Donnie.

Donnie took the stick and examined it. Finally he pried it into pieces and began dripping blobs and drops of chemicals on it. May waited, fidgeting in her seat. Finally she cleared her throat and he looked up at her. "Hey...um, I'm sorry. Can I get back to you? I mean, there's a lot I just don't know."

May nodded solemnly. "Look...can you not tell anyone?"

Donnie looked up at her skeptically. "But why? You can't hide this kind of thing."

May grimaced. "Because I think that Master Splinter will blow a gasket?" She looked down at her feet sadly. "He's never going to forgive me..." She sniffed. "I mean...it's the Shredder's child."

Donnie felt his vision almost go black. Of course. Shredder. He felt his stomach clench. Splinter would go ballistic. Donnie swallowed, trying to unclench the knot in his throat. Then he paused thoughtfully. Would Master Splinter go nuts? Or would he unflappably nod and begin raising his sworn enemy's child? There was a funny sense of irony. After years of Shredder raising Miwa, having Splinter raise Shredder's child (boy or girl) seemed to be setting a balance back into the universe.

"Look," Donnie said thoughtfully. "You gotta tell Master Splinter."

"I will," she said reluctantly.

"Like tonight. Like right now."

"Okay, okay." May frowned. "I'll tell him as soon as I can."

Donnie looked at her sternly. "So, I guess we do the normal stuff—healthy food and mild exercise. If you ask April or Leonardo they can help you stretch and get flexible. Keep everything as clean as possible and...I guess take naps?"

"I will Doctor Donatello."

Donnie frowned and looked at the stick again. "So, I'll do some internet research and we'll figure out what we can do. I'd feel better if there was a human doctor, but I understand why you don't want to go out." He shuddered dramatically. "The last thing we need is for Shredder to find this out."

She and Donnie left the lab in silence. The others were sitting as close as they dared, waiting for them to come out. Splinter sat at the table, sipping tea. Donnie led her pointedly to Master Splinter.

"She'd like to talk to you," Donnie said, gently pushing on her shoulder and frowning at her.

"May? Is this true?" Splinter asked softly.

When she looked up at him, he seemed somehow a bit sad or sorry or something. She swallowed and nodded. She shot an angry look at Donnie. "Please, Master Splinter."

"As you wish," Splinter nodded. He looked at the turtles. "You may rest this afternoon." The turtles all smiled joyfully.

Mikey let out a happy cry and leapt to the couch and snatched up a controller. The Super Brawl II intro scene came on and he looked at May. "Hey, May. Don't forget that you're all mine tonight!"

May smiled at him shakily. "I couldn't forget."

Master Splinter smiled at her and led her to their room. Sniffing, he looked at them all sternly and said, "I expect no little ears at my door."

They walked into the room and Splinter slid the door closed with a heavy sigh. May nervously knelt across from his normal place and waited for him. He seemed almost reluctant to face her, taking his time to turn, walk to her and kneel in front of her.

"May," he began. "What did you want to talk about?"

May looked at her hands folded on her legs. "I have something to tell you that I think will make you upset."

Splinter looked at her patiently. "I am always willing to listen."

May screwed her eyes closed and took a deep breath. "I am...pregnant."

Splinter only looked at her. "Is there anything else? Are you well?"

May looked at him in shock and relief. "You mean...you're not...upset?"

Splinter sighed and slid his hand up his sleeve. Withdrawing it, May saw the other white testing stick.

"Oh," she said, coloring. "I didn't realize that...well..." She hung her head. "April insisted on getting the tests yesterday evening."

Splinter's ear flickered. He sighed heavily. "Who is the father? Is it one of my sons?"

May shook her head. "Worse." He almost sighed in relief. He would have expected them to honor her properly—preferably before such an event. But then she had said, "worse". "Shredder."

Splinter looked at her curiously. "It seems that fate is not without a sense of irony."

May looked at him with a terrified expression. "I was afraid to tell you." She began shaking. "I...I don't have anywhere else to go."

"You will always have a place here," Splinter said. He reached for her hand. "You will be safe."

She looked at him with a watery smile. "I am sorry that I keep bringing trouble to your door." She put her hands over her stomach. "I will try my hardest to not let this...interfere... I will keep working hard."

Splinter looked at her a bit sadly. "My dear... Your value to us is not a matter of how well you keep the lair. It is you and the joy you bring to our lives."

She bowed low, her head almost touching the floor. "I am very thankful."

Splinter reached across and gently brought her face up. "You are valuable to us as you are. No amount of makeup or clothing will hide that." He looked at her curiously. "But there are some things we do need to discuss." May nodded. "You realize that we cannot afford to have anyone to know about the baby? We absolutely cannot afford to have the Shredder know or he will never rest until you both are under his control and this time there will be no escape."


	7. Chapter 6

May nodded slowly. "I know." She looked sadly at Splinter. "But that means that I'm the weak link in the chain, doesn't it?"

Splinter laughed and then realized that May was serious. "The turtles will protect you with their lives and will do anything to stop Shredder."

"But maybe this is a good thing," she said weakly. "It gives you a bargaining chip if anything should happen, doesn't it?"

"We will not lose you," Splinter said firmly. "So no more talk of this."

May nodded. "As you wish."

"Now," Splinter said. "We must tell the turtles. They will be concerned and worry if they are not told what is going on." May nodded in complete agreement. "They will protect you as their own." His face grew solemn. "So what has my Donatello concluded?"

May grimaced. "He wants me to eat well and rest and exercise. He volunteered April and Leonardo to help me learn to stretch. And nap. He specifically mentioned naps."

Splinter chuckled. "Donatello always liked his naps as a child." Holding her hand, he looked at her. "But what do you think of this?"

"That you are probably the only reason that I'm not going crazy." She frowned and held his hand. "I'm scared and frightened and worried all at the same time."

"I believe that most mothers are frightened." He looked at her thoughtfully. "When I was a man, my...wife, Tang Shen, was almost terrified when she realized she was expecting our daughter." He sighed. "You and she have a lot in common—much more than you realize." After a thoughtful pause, he continued. "She love me and I loved her. She carried our child—my Miwa. Oroku Saki—the one you know as the gang leader The Shredder—was jealous of our love because he wanted her and our child for himself. When she told him that she was was leaving with me, he killed her." Splinter looked at her solemnly. "We will not lose you as I lost Tang Shen."

"If I can ask, what happened to Miwa?"

Splinter sighed sadly and glanced at the picture wistfully. "Saki raised her as his own. She was told that I had been the one to kill her mother. She was told that her name was 'Karai'—" May sucked in a breath. "But, we hope that at one day, she will learn the truth and accept it."

"Then she can join you," May smiled weakly. Reaching over she took his hand and whispered, "I hope that will come to pass."

"Let us go and tell my sons," Splinter said.

May and Splinter left the room quietly. "My sons," Splinter called, tucking May's hand in his arm absently. "We have something to tell you all." All the turtles came forward and looked at them expectantly. "There is no simple way to tell you all, so we will be blunt. May is pregnant—" All of the turtles looked at her with confusion and perplexed joy. They cheered until Splinter held up his hand for silence. "May will remain here, under our protection, indefinitely."

Mikey cheered again. "Sweet! Back rubs forever and a little brother!"

Raph looked at Splinter with a calculating look. "So what's the bad news?"

Leo snapped at Raph. "What makes you think that there's bad news?"

"Raphael is right. There is one thing that you should know. The Shredder is the father of her child."

Everyone gasped in shock. Mikey looked at her with disappointment on his face and some confusion. "So does that mean that Chromedome is going to come after her?"

Splinter looked at May questioningly. She looked back at him and then back at Mikey. "We...don't know. To my knowledge, he does not even know that I carry this child." She tried to smile. "And we truthfully do not know if he will care or regard it as only another target. I can only hope that he does not know now and perhaps that he doesn't care." She tried to crack a smile. "Maybe I can get that lucky...?"

"Oh man," Mikey said, his eyes and smile wide. "I can't wait to see the cute little sucker."

May laughed a little, looking at them. "Well...we'll see what you all say when he is up for a feeding in the middle of the night."

"Oh heck, we're out most all night," Mikey said innocently. "Won't bother us at all."

May chuckled darkly. "Babies do not know the difference between the day and night. He—or she—may cry as much during the day as at night."

Donatello piped up. "So we'll have to make sure that the lab is off limits. Mutagen is bad enough on adults—we don't want kids turning into monsters or something."

"You callin' us monsters?!" Raph said, exploding.

"Raphael!"

"Aww...shoot," Raphael said. "I didn't mean it."

"I know you didn't," May said softly. "But I agree that the lab is off limits."

"And the weapons racks," Leo pointed out.

"And Mikey's bedroom!" Raph snorted.

"We will do all that must be done," Splinter said. "And we must be patient with May and with each other as the child grows."

"So does the child have a name?" Leo asked.

"Uhh...I hadn't gotten that far. Right now I don't know if I'm having a girl or a boy." May chuckled nervously.

"What do you think we need to do to get ready?" Leonardo asked.

"We need a teddy bear and a cute little play pen and some little baby rattles and binkies—" Mikey listed.

"Mikey!" Raph snapped. "You don't know the first thing you're talking about."

"Raphael," Splinter said. "Remember? Patience?" He looked at his youngest son who was still going around the lair and listing toys and things. With a slightly perplexed look, he added, "I believe that May will have to take the lead on this."

Raph grunted sourly. "Hey...she looks like she's just as confused as Mikey."

May unexpectedly chuckled at Raph. "I think I feel as confused as Mikey."

"Leonardo," Splinter said. "We will also need to have help from April and Kirby."

"Yes, Master Splinter."

May frowned. "I do not want to burden them too much." She smothered a chuckle—her nerves were giving her an embarassing case of the giggles. "At least, not until we need babysitting."

Splinter looked at her thoughtfully. "May, why don't you go and take a nap?" May smiled at everyone and went into the shared room. "We will talk out here."

Donatello watched her leave with worried expression. Quietly, he asked, "Master Splinter...I..."

"Yes, my son?"

"I'm worried," Donatello muttered. "I mean...this is a baby. He'll need years of teaching and learning and parenting. That's a ton of diapers and clothes and toys and keeping Mikey out of the bottles." He frowned. "Not to mention keeping him away from Shredder. How are we supposed to do all that?"

Splinter gave him an ironic look. "I would expect the same way that I did it."

Donnie scratched the back of his head and looked down. "Yeah...but we were turtles, not kids." He sighed. "And Shredder wasn't even exactly looking for us." He thought for a moment. "I don't know much about kids or babies, but I can't imagine that rummaging around the sewers..." He looked at Splinter, who showed his usual, solemn expression. "I'm sorry Master Splinter."

"Your concerns are well-founded," Splinter nodded, plucking at his whiskers. "You worry for the baby."

Mikey smiled and almost laughed. "But the place is all clean and everything... And we're all healthy."

Raph smirked. "Shows what you get for thinkin'." He sighed. "We're turtles, not babies, Moron!"

Splinter took in a deep, cleansing breath. "We all are uniquely adapted to this life, here. May is not, although she tries hard." He thought for a moment. "It is true that this place may not be ideal, but it is far from desolate."

Leonardo considered his sensei. "Master Splinter, umm... What does this do about Shredder?"

"What do you mean, my son?"

"Will they be trapped here forever? Or at least until the Shredder is gone?"

Splinter looked at him thoughtfully, then Donnie added. "There tons of things to consider—school and stuff we can fake. But then there's like medical stuff—vaccines and stuff—that I don't begin to know how to do."

"You are all very thoughtful," Splinter said. "But we have some time until we need the answers. It is possible that many of these questions will be answered by the time that the child is here."

Donatello nodded. "I guess I can do some Internet research until then. See what I can do."

Leonardo smiled at his brother. "I can help her stretch and become limber. Teach her how to grow stronger."

Mikey smiled dreamily. "I'll make pizza!"

Raph grunted angrily. "I'm gonna take out the Shredder once and for all."

Splinter frowned sharply. "Raphael! You do not need to confront your enemy weakened by anger."

"Yeah, yeah," Raph growled back. "Look, he's the reason she's stuck down here and the reason that we've all got to hide all the time." He slammed his fist down on the seat beside him. "Man, I don't care if he is the father, he's gotta go down." He slammed his fist down again. "Who is with me?" Everyone looked at Raphael in silence. "Fine—I'll do it myself!"

"Raph," Leo called out. "Just wait a minute."

Raph stomped off, with Leonardo in pursuit. Splinter sighed and waved and the other two brothers followed them. At last the lair was quiet.

When he approached the room, he heard rustling. It had been too much to hope that Raphael's angry tantrum would not wake up May, if she had ever managed to nap in the first place. He slid open the door and found her busily picking up and shaking out the blankets. She looked up at him guiltily.

"Sorry—I couldn't sleep," she muttered.

He gestured towards her corner and she dutifully spread out her blanket. Thoughtfully, he brought her another blanket and spread it over her.

"Thank you, Master Splinter," she said softly.

"Rest," he said. "It will take time for Raphael to calm down and return."

She nodded and curled up again. In short order, she was breathing deeply and evenly. Splinter sat and meditated. The turtles were perceptive and their questions were troubling. This child had a future outside in the world—or should, at least. That was assuming that this environment could be healthy enough for both mother and child. Perhaps it was time to arrange for May to have her own sleeping area. She might want to have privacy for herself and her child. He glanced up at the pipes and conduit running all over the ceiling. It would not be hard to arrange for her to have a curtained off area, if cloth could be found.

He realized his fists were knotting again and forced himself to relax. For a moment, he let his thoughts to drift. Invariably, they came back to the turtle's questions. He frowned and allowed his thoughts to wander apparently aimlessly in an attempt to focus.

Would Saki be better able to care for May and her child? He could provide her with clean water and food, shelter and probably medical care above the sewers. Splinter felt himself clench in anger. As a human—a human with power in the world—he could potentially provide her with things that they could not.

Splinter drew in a deep breath. Saki had shown that he could raise a child. Karai was healthy, educated, and had spent her younger years assured of good food and water and shelter. It might not be the ideal, but Saki had shown compassion. He had shown that he was able to find ways to care for a child—even his enemy's child. Despite their vendetta, there did not seem to be a reason that he could not provide for his own flesh and blood.

Splinter took another deep breath. It had been surprising to him when he had first encountered Karai. It had stolen his breath to see what had looked like a young Tang Shen standing against him. He had assumed that Saki had killed her and wanted no reminders. And what was he to say to Karai? She would always be Miwa in his head, but she was Karai and distinct from whatever he might have imagined she would have been. It was only a matter of time before she saw May. She might have been merciful to release May from the Shredder—or have done it for her own reasons—but there was no telling what she would say or do at their next meeting.

He took another deep breath and stretched his neck. It was...uncomfortable, where his mind had gone. Someone needed to consider the questions—whether or not she would be better off without them.

If she was not to go to the Shredder, then where would she go? His mind tumbled again. She could find shelter as a homeless woman. It would be hard, but she could get medical care, shelter and food. She would not be safer than here, but her child would be cared for.

That was what was important, wasn't it?

She would be sad, of course. She would miss the turtles as much as they would miss her. She would be scared at first—living outside the lair. He amended the thought. She would be terrified—and her nightmares would return. She would have to find a a doctor and somewhere to get groceries. She would have to learn to live with people seeing her scars from time to time.

He sighed heavily, his eyes feeling scratchy and watery. He would not allow himself to falter—someone needed to consider what was best best for the child. Someone needed to think of all the possibilities without anxiety and fear. Just like the turtles, she looked to him for guidance and direction. It was a heavy burden, but he would not change any of it.

It gave him structure and direction.

The turtles stayed out very late. May woke and took out the bucket and some soapy water to do the floors. He trained by himself, going over the most complicated katas that he knew. When he came out for a drink of water, she was washing the selection of clothes that April had given her and the few clothes that they used to conceal the turtles when they went to the surface. She threw the washed clothes over the lower hanging pipes to drip dry. When he came back out after practicing his sword work, she had taken out an old mop and was getting underneath the furniture.

He took out one of his favorite books and sat down in his room. After a few moments, he heard some music and soft singing. Coming out, he saw May going after the baseboards and the switch plates. She danced with the mop, tossing it around lightly and dancing as "Can't Fight the Moonlight" played on the radio.

When she turned around one more time, she saw him and suddenly stopped. Somehow her entire face went pale except for two flaming red spots on her cheeks. She bowed hastily and about tripped over the bucket. "I'm so sorry, Master Splinter!"

"You seem to be enjoying yourself," he observed with a wry grin.

"I'm...sorry. I didn't mean to be so loud and disturb you," she bowed again and accidentally kicked the bucket. Dirty water sloshed and she yelped.

"You have been working hard for several hours," he observed. "It might be time for a break." He set the kettle on to boil. "We will stop for some tea."

She poured the dirty water out and sat at the table. He took out two cups and the tea bags. "The turtles will return soon."

She nodded, taking a cup. "I think so." She frowned as she sipped the tea. "I hope that they are all right."

Splinter nodded. "We should hear something very soon." He sipped his tea. "In the meantime, I suggest that we do something relaxing. Perhaps some television?"

She followed him and sat next to him as he took the remote to flip through the possibilities. He paused at a public television station playing a popular musical. "Do you mind this?"

"I like 'The King and I'," she replied. "It's one of my favorites." She sniffed. "But the ending is so sad!"

Splinter sat back and draped his arm along the back of the couch. With a timid grin, she slid closer to him and put her head on his shoulder. The music was soothing and the tragic story continued and May was soon asleep. At the end, he debated what to do—to allow her to sleep on the couch or to get her to her bed. He clicked off the ancient TV and, after a few moment, he scooped her in his arms. He laid her on her blanket and covered her.

The turtles came in an hour later, sore and bruised. Raphael was cursing. Michelangelo was limping and leaning on Donatello. Leonardo sported a large set of bruises and a black eye. They looked around sleepily and then at Splinter.

"She is asleep," he explained. Then he heard a rustle behind him and then frowned. "Or at least she was."

May staggered out blearily and began to take out the first aid kit and supplies. Without saying anything, she started to work on their wounds. The turtles were peculiarly quiet, allowing her to work without comment. Raphael looked grouchy but thanked her quietly as she wrapped his knuckles in bandages. Mikey smiled at her with a friendly expression as she wrapped his injured ankle and fetched an ice pack. Leonardo helped her lead Mikey to his bed.

Splinter watched as his sons let her make them welcome with late night sandwiches and drinks. All of them were tired and sore, so there was not a lot of conversation. Eventually, she must have decided she couldn't do more to help and began wandering back towards her bed.

Mikey's voice called out from his bed. "Hey, May—could you bring me a drink?"

May sighed and went to fetch a glass of water. "I'm coming." She went to Mikey's room and closed the door behind her.

Raph watched his brothers go to bed as his father watched him expectantly. "I got jumped," he muttered softly. "By some Foot."

"Oh?" Splinter whispered.

"Yeah," Raph growled angrily. "There were like twenty or so." He shrugged painfully. "We could have gotten out, but Leo had to make goo-goo eyes at Karai."

Splinter frowned and watched his son.

"He's gonna get us killed if he's not more careful," Raphael complained. "He just got all soppy and stopped fighting. Mikey almost had her, but then Leo told him to knock it off." Raph glanced at the way that May had gone pointedly. "I thought that—"

Splinter's eyebrows raised. "Thought what?"

Raph kept staring, tapping his fingers impatiently. Splinter watched his son with some amusement as Raph kept tapping his fingers and staring after May.

After another few minutes, Splinter cleared his throat. "Are you waiting for something, Raphael?"

Raph snapped his attention to Splinter in surprise. "What?!"

Splinter sighed. "Why don't you go to bed? It will be your turn tomorrow."

Raph growled something unintelligible and bowed towards Splinter. With an angry grunt, he went to bed.

Splinter frowned, sipping his tea thoughtfully. After a few minutes more, he went to bed.

The next morning, May had still not returned. Instead, when Splinter went out to start his tea, she staggered stiffly from Mikey's area. Splinter smiled as she stretched clumsily and boiled the water for his tea.

"Did you sleep well, May?" Splinter asked carefully.

"I am only stiff, Master," she replied softly. "At least, I hope that's all that it is." She frowned and twisted her shoulders. "Mikey twisted and turned so often that I'm not sure that I slept so much."

"Perhaps some warmth would be good," Splinter advised. "When the turtles are training, you can take a hot bath."

May only nodded as the turtles began to trickle in. Mikey actually came in smiling and whistling. Raph glowered at him, but said nothing until Leonardo came in.

"Well if it isn't our fearless leader!" he snapped. "You done making goo-goo eyes at Karai?"

Leo frowned at him, rotating his shoulders. "You done complaining?" He rolled his eyes. "We got out and got home and kicked their tails."

Splinter raised his eyebrows at his sons as they began bickering. "My sons," he snapped. "You are bickering like children." His sons looked at him with a mixture of glowering anger, impatience, and aggravation. "If you cannot behave, we will increase your training until you remember!" He looked at them again as they snapped to attention. "Now, do we do training or do you think you can behave?"

"Well, it's his fault!" snapped Raphael, pointing at Leonardo.

"I was trying to see if I could get some information," Leo snapped back.

"On what? Her phone number?!" Raph growled.

"No! On what's going on with Shredder! Like maybe why they were all out a soup kitchen!"

Splinter slammed his cane down. "Silence!" He sighed deeply. "Since it appears that you cannot do anything else, you will explain this immediately."

Leonardo frowned. "We followed Raph across the rooftops and when we finally caught up with him, we tried to stop and talk to him, but—"

Raph interrupted. "But then we got jumped."

"It was just a few," Mikey muttered.

"We _thought_ that it was just a few scouts," Donatello explained.

"But then Karai showed up with more," Raphael snarled. "A lot more!"

"We wouldn't have had that problem if you hadn't stormed off in the first place!" Leonardo shouted back. He shoved Raphael's shoulder. "And didn't you even notice where we were?"

"No, I didn't," Raph said, shoving him back. "I was too busy fighting Foot!"

"We were at a homeless shelter for women!" Leonardo shouted back. "He's hunting for May!"

In a sudden silence, they heard a soft, feminine cry. All five of them looked towards May. She was absolutely white and trembling visibly. Fat tears slid down her cheeks and her nose was the only spot of color on her face except for the livid red scars.

Splinter looked at her in dismay. He gestured shortly. "My sons—leave us."

Raph looked at her with a sorrowful look. He turned and went to his bedroom, slamming the door. Leo and Donnie ducked into the lab. Mikey frowned and looked around. With a nervous giggle, he waved and wandered off.

Splinter walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her. She trembled and shook, weeping wordlessly. He gently brushed a tear off her cheek. "Do not cry." He wiped at her cheeks. "You must stop."

She only nodded at him. She coughed hard and shivered, three more tears sliding down her nose. "I'm...so...so s-s-sorry."

Splinter held her close. "There is nothing for you to be sorry for. My sons should be apologizing to you. There was no excuse for that kind of behavior."

"I've caused so much trouble for you," she whispered. "Please...tell me what to do to fix this...?"

Splinter led her to the couch and sat her down. "It is not your problem." He stroked her hair gently. "Let them cool off and we will sort this out."

May sobbed, her shoulders shaking. "Please let me help."

"You cannot help this," he explained gravely. "It is teenage boys, I think." He hugged her shoulders. "Go to...—" He stumbled over the words. "—our room and have that hot bath." He pulled her head to his shoulder. "Do not worry."

"But is he looking for us?" She splayed a hand over her stomach. "He'll..."

"No!" Splinter snapped. "Do not even say it." He hugged her close again. "Take your bath."

Splinter helped her get the bath set up. He sprinkled a few drops of the perfume that April had given her in the water and helped her get in. She somehow looked more lost than when he had first seen her. In a small, still way, it galled him that she was so sickeningly terrified. Even after spending weeks in his company and with his sons guarding her, she was still elementally petrified.

She was hoarsely sobbing, her arms crossed over her chest and her head bowed. Her hair was in a loosely coiled bun with loose curls escaping and dripping over her face and shoulders. She rocked slightly, taking in ragged breaths.

"May," Splinter sighed. "My sons are...young and sometimes hasty. They meant well." She nodded. "We will learn what this means. It is entirely possible that you are still hidden and there is another explanation." She only nodded again, drawing in another ragged breath. "Come out and talk to me when you are ready."

He left her to her bath, the slight perfume wafting around him in the air like the delicate sounds of her weeping. He went out glaring at the turtles, who had regrouped in the common area were still bickering. "My sons!" He pounded his staff on the ground and they all snapped their heads towards him. "Now what was this about?!" He held up his hand. "Why are you still arguing?" All of them looked down at the floor, unwilling to meet his eyes. "You have accomplished nothing but to upset May."

He gestured angrily at his door. In the sudden silence, everyone heard the soft sobs. "Now, my sons, you must decide whether to continue your arguments elsewhere or to set them aside." He frowned sternly. "What do you decide?"

Raph looked at his brothers. "Sorry."

Leo nodded shortly. "I'm sorry Raph."

Mikey looked like he was about to say something as well, but Splinter's angry glance silenced him. Donnie only looked at the floor sadly.

"My sons," Splinter snapped. "It is vitally important to know the Foot's purpose at the shelter." All of them nodded silently. "Tonight I will expect you to have a plan to learn it." He frowned at them all. "Now, we train."

After half an hour, he went back to find May rising out of the warm water. She flushed darkly as soon as she saw him and ducked back into the water. She stared at him with wide eyes and her blush making her cheeks seem rosy. He looked away and grunted, "Forgive me... I did not think to knock before I came in."

"It's all right," she burbled. "I was just getting out." She fumbled and grabbed the blue robe that was nearby. With hurried movements, she climbed out of the water and began to wrap it around her. Splinter shot a look and wondered if her stomach was perhaps a bit more rounded than normal. He frowned again thoughtfully, remembering when Shen was carrying Miwa.

May wrapped the tie around her waist and tied it tightly. She shivered again, a feeling of terror coming and going through her. She kept her eyes down and approached Splinter quietly. "What should I do now?"

Splinter put his hand on her shoulder. "You should try to rest and remain healthy. Do as Donatello says—take naps as often as you need them, eat well and remain as calm as you can. It does neither of you good to become upset or overtired." He released her shoulder and stroked her hair. "You have a responsibility to be as well as you can." He smirked wisely. "You will surely risk being found out if you become ill and must be taken to a doctor."

She risked a glance at his face, searching for some measure of humor and wisdom in his wide, keen eyes. It took most of her strength to not run straight into him and wrap her arms around him and never let him go. She almost smiled—he would no doubt be able to evade any move she made.

That afternoon, Donatello logged her into an anonymous email and let her dig around online until she found some pregnancy related websites. She signed up for emails that would show her information on her child's development and she stared in wonder at the illustration of the little lima bean shaped thing that would grow into a baby.

Donatello watched silently as May stared at the screen. Her fingers almost brushed the screen as she stared at the illustration. Her mouth dropped open, gaping at the paragraphs detailing exactly what was happening inside her. A delicate tear slid down her cheek and she whispered, reading the text. He glanced at the bullet points, dismayed at the reminders of necessary doctor's appointments and highlighting that the next appointment she might be able to hear the heartbeat. He hung his head and put his hand over his eyes—this was suddenly so complicated. Vaguely disturbed by the uncomfortable lurch in his heart and a sudden vision of his favorite red-head with a baby bump, he left her alone to read as he called April.

April was not completely surprised at Donatello's call. Dutifully, she went to the library and picked up a few books. Trying not to look embarrassed, she picked out the subject maximum of four books on pregnancy. She add a new Japanese cookbook to her pile and began paging through the stacks of paperback romances when she got a text to look for a book on Japanese etiquette. Amused, it took some fanciful explaining about an imaginary report on Japan to enlist the librarian for help to find the exact section.

April hauled in a fabric shopping bag of books the next time she visited a few days later. May looked a little haggard, busily tending a pot of broth and repairing a hole in a pair of pants. A basket of clothes—some of it May's, a coat that the turtles used for their recon, a torn blue mask and a kneepad. The blankets that the turtles used hung over some pipes, dripping on the floor.

"Wow," April said, putting the books on the table. "You've been...busy." She looked around—everything was as clean as it could be, all things considered.

May smiled crookedly at her. "I'm about to serve lunch." She gestured at the pot. "I'm about to add the ramen and vegetables. There are boiled eggs too."

April smiled. "Sounds tasty."

Splinter came in, looking at the bubbling pot and May ducked down to pay attention to her sewing again. "I am glad to see you, April," he nodded. "And you have brought more books..."

April bowed. "I hope that the books are helpful..."

"Indeed," Splinter nodded. He glanced at May. "My sons are eager for lunch."

"Of course, Master Splinter," May sighed. "It will be ready in a few minutes."

"Then we will conclude," he smiled warmly at May and felt rewarded when she smiled back. His whiskers twitched. "It does smell delicious." With a graceful turn, he went back to the training area.

April looked at her in amazement. "So what did you do?" She grinned at May. "I don't know that I've ever heard him so..."

May only flushed, tying a knot in her sewing. She pulled out a bowl of ramen noodles and cut up vegetables. She dumped them into the rich smelling broth and began stirring. "He has been very complimentary." There was a brief shuffle as she pulled out plastic cups to serve the soup.

April set out silverware, glancing as May went into a frenzy of action. The turtles came in, chattering and sweaty. They sat down at the table calmly and waited until Splinter came in. The ninja master sat at the head of the table and May sat at the foot. Everyone had a portion of the noodle soup. April swirled some of the broth in her mouth—the taste of beef broth simmered with celery, carrots, onion and peas with a taste of garlic and pepper was deeply satisfying.

"This is really good," April smiled. "I think that I'd have enjoyed ramen more if it was like this."

May colored modestly. "It's out of the cookbooks." She shrugged a little. "It makes the vegetables go farther too."

"Speaking of vegetables," April replied. "There's a big sale at the farmer's market tomorrow." At Master Splinter's curious look, she explained, "The market is closed for the long holiday weekend and they are unloading the ripe stuff before it spoils. They go on half-price about 45 minutes before the market closes."

Splinter looked at May, who added, "And there's enough different types going through that one Muslim woman doesn't cause concern." She smiled a bit wistfully. "It's so cool to see all the women in saris and different robes and scarves and stuff. There's even a stall that sells the most beautiful scarves out of old saris in all kinds of colors of silk..." Her voice faltered into silence as she looked down and blushed.

Splinter frowned and looked at April. "What time does the market close?"

"Around seven this evening," April said.

"That will not be dark enough that any of us could follow easily," Splinter mused. "Perhaps it would be better not to go, May." May looked up sharply, about to protest and then went silent, only nodding and looking down again. "If there are necessities, then we can find another way."

April pulled a torn magazine page out of her pocket. "One of the restaurants I like—Super Kabobs—is now part of the website."

May's eyes lit up. "So they donate the produce that they don't use." She grinned. "You just have to get there before they close and they'll give you a chance to go through their leftover produce." She went to a drawer and pulled out a flyer. "They are open until 9:30, so probably about 9 to 9:15 is good. And they do salads and rice and fresh chicken."

"Where are they located?" Splinter asked evenly.

"On Oak Street," May said, scanning the ad. "Behind the...dammit." Splinter looked at her as she dropped the menu angrily. "They are only three streets over from the warehouses."

Splinter seemed to smirk a bit at May's temper. It was refreshing that she did seem to have some spirit left. "Show me a map, May. Perhaps we can figure something out..."

May brought over a metro system map that she had snagged from a bus stop. She pointed to the map. "Here's Super Kabobs. But the warehouses are...here and go over there." She sighed heavily. "And...there is...where...my father's..." She drew a sharp, shuddering breath and suddenly began pulling the map up and folding it.

Splinter frowned. "You need to relax." May finished folding the map. "Your father's legacy may be gone, but you remain." He folded his hands. "We will consider when to approach this place. There may be many people there at first because of the article and it will be difficult for us to follow you."

May nodded and began picking up the now empty dishes and flatware for cleaning. She shot an angry glare at the fridge, but then went back to work. Splinter studied her as the turtles muttered softly amongst themselves. April smirked and went over to clean up with her, murmuring soft words.

He turned to the turtles with a half smile and spoke to them with a firm and commanding voice. "As my students, it is important to understand the importance of patience." Leonardo and the other turtles nodded and began to pay attention. May settled again, picking up a piece she was repairing and faced him as well as April slid to a spot behind Donnie. "There is an old story that I have not told you of the wife and the tiger.

"Once there was a wife who's husband was a samurai and away for a long time at war. When he returned she was overjoyed and fixed his favorite supper and brought out his favorite kimono for him to wear. But the husband was short-tempered and unable to enjoy his wife's attention. He told her to leave him alone. She tried again the next night, and the next, but each time, he told her to leave him alone.

"The wife was heartbroken and went to an apothecary for a potion to make her husband love her again. The apothecary told her that he had all of the ingredients except for the whisker from a white tiger that lived in a cave in the mountain. The wife cried and begged him but he insisted she fetch the whisker herself.

"She could not believe it. She spent all day trying to figure out how to get the whisker. Finally, she took a bowl of broth and meats up the path. She went as close as she dared to the cave—she could see the white and black stripes as he lay in the mouth of the cave—and she set down the bowl and called to the tiger to come get dinner.

"She waited and finally went home. But the next day, she took another bowl and went to the same place. Eventually, as she kept bringing the bowl of food, the tiger came to expect her. He even began to come out to watch for her. She finally found him on the path, waiting for her.

"She got closer and closer to the tiger and after many nights, she was close enough to touch him. After a few more nights, she finally asked the tiger for a whisker. He licked his whiskers and, after a moment, she was able to whisk out a pair of sharp sewing scissors and cut the whisker. Overjoyed, the wife took the whisker to the apothecary.

"The man took the whisker and studied it. Then he dropped it into the fireplace. The woman was shocked. He told her—" Splinter paused for a moment. "—that she had already won the affection of a wild animal and already knew all that she need to know in order to tame her husband. That she only needed patience and perseverance."

Everyone looked expectantly at Splinter, who simply picked up his cup of tea and sipped it. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw May with her sewing in her lap, her head cocked as though she were listening to him speak still, and her face clouded with thought. After a moment, she looked at her sewing as though seeing it in her hands for the first time and began carefully setting her stitch.

The next few days went peacefully enough and progressed into weeks. The turtles continued to take turns as her companion for the night and she continued to cook and clean and sew. When an emergency called them out, May would reliably be waiting for them with ice packs and hot wraps and muscle relief creams. She would offer them massages and a listening ear, very rarely leaving the lair. She was still ill in the mornings, but she was gaining weight slowly and seemed to otherwise be well.

Unfortunately, it was more difficult to determine what the Shredder was doing. If he had been looking for May, he had withdrawn and was disinterested. There seemed to be no more attacks near the homeless shelters or women's shelters. Splinter was gradually becoming more convinced that May was safe.

However, as he became more convinced of her safety, the more she seemed to be working. At first it had appeared to be a bad case of sleepless nights. Then it was more frequently—more nights that he would begin his nightly meditations as she was still cleaning or sewing or something and she would finally come in long after. Every time that the turtles were out late, he saw that she would suddenly enter a frenzy of cleaning—wiping out the cabinets, cleaning equipment, and so on. If things were already clean, she would bring out a stack of books and read until late at night, waiting for them to come home.

Splinter finished his meditations, feeling loose and boneless as he began to turn off the lights. May was sitting on the couch, a pregnancy exercise book on his lap with one of Donatello's anatomy books off to one side. He half-heartedly frowned, trying to remember the last time she had retired before him. She was dutiful in taking naps as best she could with four teenage turtles and two other teenagers in and out—even occasionally using one or another turtle's bedroom as they trained before carefully cleaning it afterward. He walked over to her, noting that she was again deep in thought as her eyes flicked over the words.

"May," he said softly. "It is time to sleep."

May jumped and her book fell to the floor with a thud. "Oh!" she said. "I'm coming—" She glanced over at a digital clock on top of the television. "Is it really after midnight?"

"It is," Splinter nodded. "You will need rest to be able to start the day again." May closed her books and set them aside almost reverently. "You seem to enjoy reading...?"

"I have always loved reading—anything and everything," she flushed. "My father would complain that I never paid anyone or anything as much attention as I did my books—" She stopped and seemed to flush suddenly.

"Oh?" Splinter asked, grinning. "What were you supposed to be paying attention to?"

She sighed heavily and shrugged. "I was supposed to be—" She glanced at him, almost as though she were considering what to tell him. "I was supposed to be a boy—a son—to inherit."

"A son?"

May nodded. "He said that if I were a boy, he would be proud of me. But that it was a bad investment to send a girl to college, let alone grad work to become a nurse." She shrugged. "I was supposed to be seen and not heard and my..." She took a shuddering breath. "My value was in getting married so that then there would be a son to take over." She stared ahead. "I suppose that one could say that, given what happened, he was right..." She tried to shrug lightly. "If I had gotten married to one of his business cronies like he wanted, then maybe—"

Splinter looked at her calmly. "Then I think the same thing would have happened." He shot her a sharp glance as she lurched stiffly to their room and began spreading out her blanket. "However, it will not help him or you or your child if you continue to work too hard."

She looked over at him vaguely sadly. "I don't know what else to do." She swallowed heavily, wishing that the turtles were hear to smooth over the moment with their noise. "So I keep doing what I can."

"You keep pushing yourself too hard," Splinter scolded gently. "You cannot out run your fears."

She nodded, flushing in shame. "I keep hearing him in my nightmares. I keep hearing him screaming and chasing me in my dreams."

Splinter sighed. "You must find peace. For your child, if not for yourself."

May sniffled a little. "I don't know how..."

Splinter looked at her over his shoulder. "Would you like to learn?"

May looked at him. "Do you mean it?" She sucked in an amazed breath and her eyes went wide with cautious joy. "Really?" She turned towards him.

"Indeed," Splinter nodded. He gestured to one of the throw rugs. "Come here and we will begin."

May obediently knelt across from Splinter. She giggled for a moment and then took a deep breath and folded her hands in her lap.

Splinter smiled at her. "That is a good beginning." He drew in his hands and sucked in a deep breath. "Take in a deep breath and hold it for a count of five." He counted down on his fingers. "Now release your breath slowly."

May released her breath slowly.

"Again," Splinter said. May took another deep breath. "Now, let us try visualizing something pleasant. What shall we try?"

May smiled with a soft blush. "I can think of something pleasant...but—"

Splinter smirked at her, but let it go without comment. "For example, Michelangelo pictures pizza. Donatello pictures—"

"April?" May interrupted. "Or a hugely complicated computer?"

Splinter sighed with a smirk. "No interruptions. Let us try something simple. Picture...a flower." He gestured in and out and took another deep breath. "What is your favorite flower?"

"Tigerlilies," May whispered.

"The oniyuri," Splinter nodded. "Picture it in your mind and close your eyes." May obeyed him. "What do you see?"

"The tigerlilies," she said, frowning in concentration.

Splinter took in another deep breath. "How many are in your picture? Are they in a vase?" He took in another breath. "Describe them—in every detail."

May took in another deep breath, echoing him. "There are two of them in bloom in...a vase. They are such a brilliant shade of orange with such velvety dark spots." He led her in another deep breath. "The petals are curling over like..."

"Like?"

"Like silk ribbons. Like smooth, soft silk." She took in a deep breath unbidden, her fingers curling in her lap. "It's like soft, fragrant silk but warm from the sun."

Splinter sighed in appreciation. "The oniyuri represents wealth—golden wealth. Breathe deeply, as though you could smell them." He watched her take another breath. "See? You can do it." May's eyes opened suddenly, and he held up his hand. "Keep breathing. Focus on your oniyuri."

"On the...oniyuri," she murmured.

Splinter smiled. "Continue focusing. We will go for a short time and gradually increase as you become better at it."

May nodded and kept breathing. It was deeply soothing to simply...sit. She could see the vase of flowers. Suddenly, as she thought about the dark spots and the charming stamen with their curious slant-line tips, she saw Shredder's outline and it filled her mind. Suddenly she jerked, her eyes wide and her breath in shallow pants.

Splinter looked at her steadily. "Try again..."

May shook her head. "I keep seeing him..." A tear slid down her cheek. "It's like he's still in my head." She wrung her hands. "Like I won't ever be free..."

"You will be free if you wish," Splinter advised. "Try again. Focus on the oniyuri." This time she couldn't seem to find her calm even for a moment. He stroked his whiskers. "May, you don't need to carry him."

"Carry him?"

"There was a monk who traveled with an apprentice. They came to a muddy river where a lovely woman was trying to cross without getting mud on her kimono. The monk walked up and simply picked her up, carried her across and then set her down on the other side. The apprentice was appalled and when they stopped for the night, he spoke to the monk. No monk was supposed to have anything to do with a woman—and especially not a lovely one. The monk looked at the apprentice with surprise."

"Oh?" May said.

"The monk said, 'But I left the woman beside the river. Have you been carrying her all this time?'" Splinter looked at her. "Do you understand, May?"

"I think so," May whispered.

"Then you obviously need to think about it some more." Splinter took in another deep breath. "Breathe deeply. In and out."

May drew in her breath and held it for a moment. Just as she was about to let it out, there was a crash. "To be continued?" she smiled, shooting a glance at him.

"Indeed," Splinter nodded as they both got up to see what was happening.

The turtles were bursting with chatter and clumping around. Splinter and May distributed tea and ice packs. There was nothing much to report—the usual violence. This time the target seemed to be a simple theft of some containers from a warehouse. May listened with only half an ear, she felt exhausted suddenly.

Raphael gingerly approached her. "So...uhh...it's my turn tonight—"

May smiled at him and nodded. "I imagine that you are tired. We can talk and I will rub your shoulders, if you wish it."

Raphael smiled and ambled to his room. May quickly gathered some warm cloths and a tube of ointment for muscle aches. Raphael held open the doorway for her and then closed it gently behind them.

Mikey looked up mournfully. "Wow...she's like—"

"Oh. My. Gosh!" Donatello interrupted. "Raph is like...her pet?"

Mikey squealed. "But she's supposed to be my girlfriend!"

Splinter grunted softly. "She is allowed to choose, Michelangelo." He grimaced. "You had a turn last night. It is now Raphael's turn." Mikey looked at the doorway and grinned. "And no listening at their door!"

"Awww, Sensei!" Mikey whimpered.

"No!" Splinter gestured. "To bed!"

Leonardo smirked at Donatello and they bowed and went to their rooms.

Splinter sighed and took a deep breath. The lair was quiet and hopefully everyone would be asleep soon. He could hear muffled voices from Raphael's room—a light, feminine one and then a gruff deeper one, but otherwise things were silent. He cleaned up the mess and went to his room to look at the picture.

"My dear," he whispered to the picture. "I have four sons now. They all know a single girl and cannot seem to share her...company..." His voice faded off ruefully. "I know what you are about to say—that Saki and I could not share your company either." He sighed again. "She will be forced to make a choice—just as you were forced to—and I hope it will not split the clan, when she does." He glanced at the little moon face of Miwa. "She is about your age, my daughter. She is not so strong, but she is trying. You both would like her, I think, if you could both meet and know each other." One hand gently stroked the edge of the picture. "I miss you both so much—"

A knock sounded softly on the door. Splinter sighed and closed his eyes wearily. "Enter." May stepped in and wearily bowed to him. Without a word, she crept to her corner. Splinter smiled at her, but she did not seem to notice.

Then another soft knock sounded at the door. Raphael whispered, "Please, May... Look...it's OK. Really."

May's head sank down almost to the floor. She looked up at him and smiled and then went to the door and slid it open. Raphael seemed almost surprised to see her and flushed.

"Umm...Look, it's really all right. I didn't—well..."

May looked at him curiously. "Raphael, you are kindness itself." Gently, she put a timid hand on his shoulder. "But it is not fair—"

"I don't care about fair," he whispered urgently. "Just...come on back."

She sighed, almost indulgently. "As you wish." May picked up her blanket and bowed towards Master Splinter. "I'm sorry to have disturbed you." Quietly she slid the door closed behind them.

The next morning, Splinter rose and found that May had not returned. Amused, he crept to Raphael's room and glanced inside. Raphael was sitting up with his back against the side of the bed, sleeping with his head on the mattress. May was carefully tucked in, laying in a tiny knot against the far side. May stirred briefly as Raphael let out a snore and she reached over and stroked his head gently. Raphael snorted and jerked and then went back to sleep—still sitting up.

Splinter waited until he had backed away from the door to chuckle. He pulled out his kettle and set it to boil. Thoughtfully, he prepared his cup of tea and began to sip. Leonardo came out first, followed by Donatello and Michelangelo. They looked around and began stretching idly, but Raphael did not appear.

Splinter smiled to himself. "You each came in late last night. I am relieved that you are all well."

Mikey grinned. "We totally—"

Leonardo interrupted. "We were able to stop a Krang plot, Sensei." He paused and looked around. "Where is...Raphael?"

Donatello rotated his shoulders as though they were sore. "The last I saw him, he was going off with May."

Mikey craned his neck, twisting this way and that. "Man, I sure could have used her last night." He sighed. "She has, like, magic fingers." Splinter smiled as Mikey rambled on. "I love how she does this thing with like her thumbs on my neck—"

Raphael came bursting in. Dark circles were under his eyes, as though he had not slept well. "Sorry, Master Splinter," he muttered. He yawned and began stretching.

"Did you sleep well last night?" Splinter asked.

"Yeah...," Raphael grunted. "Did all right."

"So did she do the thing where she rubs just under your shell?" Mikey asked innocently. He sighed happily, his mouth gaping. "I so love that."

Raphael rolled his eyes and grunted at his youngest brother. "Let's just get started."

Splinter nodded absently, glancing at Raphael's door. It was probably a good thing if May could sleep in, but he worried about her nonetheless. Tang Shen had murderous morning sickness that seemed worse when she overslept.

Mikey seemed to also be thinking about May. "I'll just go check on her—"

"No!" Raphael shouted. "Don't you even think about it, you—"

"Raphael!" Splinter snapped. "Enough!"

Raphael growled at Mikey and a soft, feminine yawn sounded from his door. May stood in his door way, her hair hanging in a loose tousle down her shoulders. She looked a bit pale, and carried a trash bag, but otherwise seemed in good health.

"May!" Mikey greeted her enthusiastically. "Can you do that thing with your thumbs under the edge of my shell—?"

"Hey!" Leonardo protested.

Splinter glared at his youngest as May flushed scarlet. Hurriedly, she scampered past them all and into Splinter's room. Splinter frowned and gestured to the turtles who all bowed, ready to begin the day. They trained and May emerged in fresh clothes and began cleaning, her hair tied back with a piece of twine. For lunch, there were sandwiches and chicken noodle soup with carrots, celery and onions. May cleaned up lunch and then began to scrub again—this time under the couch—where she found a spare set of nunchucks, the missing television remote, three batteries, a few coins and a spare hair clip of April's.

Raphael hung back as Splinter dismissed them from training. "Master Splinter?"

"Yes, my son?" Splinter asked, watching the other turtles settle in front of the television.

"Umm...," Raphael looked at Mikey with a grumpy look. "I don't know what to do..."

Splinter gestured to his own room. "Let us talk."

Raphael knelt, facing his sensei. "Master Splinter, I don't want May hanging around Mikey." Splinter looked at him, waiting. "I mean...he's careless. He—" Raphael sighed heavily, shaking his head.

"What is it that bothers you?" Splinter frowned.

"Mikey's just too clumsy. He's gonna knock her silly with his goofing off." Raphael scowled. "When I looked in on him night before last, he was laying all over her with his head on her stomach!"

Splinter looked at the turtle in surprise. "And...?"

"And..he's gonna hurt the baby like that!" Raphael scowled. "It's gonna come shooting out of her like toothpaste if he lays on top of her like that." His fists balled up and he looked away briefly. "And I..."

"And you what?"

"I don't want her to get hurt," Raphael muttered darkly.

"And you think that Michelangelo would deliberately hurt the child?" Splinter's eyes went wide in amusement.

"No, but he's such a knucklehead that he'd do something dumb anyway." Raphael glanced up at his father. "Can't you just forbid it or something?"

Splinter sighed. "I think that you might want to consider exactly what you object to." He paused, remembering his father and master saying something remarkably similar. "This arrangement was the agreement after the first time that you each asked me to force May to do something."

"I know," Raphael growled. "But I—"

"You have had your turn," Splinter repeated. "Tonight is Leonardo's turn and the next turn is Donatello's." He paused thoughtfully again and composed his words carefully. "Protecting the ones you care about is natural to you and you are very protective of the child. But each of your brothers also deserve to have their chances as well—as you all agreed."

Raphael growled and nodded. Splinter closed his eyes thoughtfully, and stroked his chin. "You must not forget that first you are brothers."

"Yes, Master Splinter," Raphael nodded.

"Take a deep breath," Splinter added automatically. "Remember to maintain your balance."

Raphael took a breath. "I don't want nothing to happen to her. I don't even hold her because I'm scared that I'm gonna hurt her."

Splinter smiled. "Why don't you call in your brothers and we will speak." Raphael's eyes glittered in short-lived triumph. "However, this is not about forcing May to do anything."

The turtles came in with curious expressions and knelt down. Master Splinter made sure that May was occupied with cooking—baked spaghetti pie with melted mozzarella and pepperoni on top and then knelt before his sons. "I wanted to speak to each of you about May's pregnancy."

All of his students looked at him expectantly. "You are each concerned with May's health and protecting her child. I had not expected to speak to you about this so soon, but I will tell you about Tang Shen and how I learned to take care of her." Splinter sighed deeply, forcing himself to remember the time before he had transformed. It was as though, mentally, he was split into two lives—one as the human Hamato Yoshi and one as a rat Splinter. "Tang Shen carried my daughter and I had to learn, as each of you are learning now, how to take care of her." Splinter began to outline his own experiences with Tang Shen—morning sickness, weariness, sensitivities to smells and tastes, tenderness in her chest and, of course, her slowly swelling stomach. Mikey looked at him with the usual wide eyed amazement. Donatello simply regarded him with his usual thoughtful silence with a look that said he was piecing all of it together like a puzzle. Leonardo seemed to be just accepting the information, nodding occasionally. Raphael's emotions ranged from amazement to anger to shame.

Concluding, Splinter tried to offer encouragement to his sons. "May will tell you if something hurts or makes her uncomfortable. She will know if something is wrong—"

"But Master Splinter," Raphael interrupted. "She's never done this before either—"

"Raphael!" Splinter snapped. "The child rests within her and she is more aware of it than any of us. Is it so hard to believe that she will know before any of us if something is wrong?"

"No, Master Splinter," he mumbled.

Master Splinter nodded with a sharp look. "Now...Leonardo, will you go ask May to come in?"

Leonardo bowed and went to the door to poke his head out into the main room. He smiled at the smells of oregano and basil and garlic with tomato sauce. May was sliding a pan into the stove. She closed the door and set the rickety timer, glancing and smiling at him. Leonardo stepped out and walked to her. "Hey, can you come in for a few minutes?"

May smiled at him and bowed shallowly. "Of course. Is something wrong?"

Leo smiled. "No...just a talk with Master Splinter."

"Okay."

May followed Leonardo, with a curious look on her face. The other turtles knelt in a row and May finally settled behind them. Splinter nodded his head in acknowledgement, but otherwise seemed solemn. May folded her hands nervously. Her mouth felt dry and she licked her lips nervously. Splinter cleared his throat and she shot to attention, focused on him.

"May," Splinter began. "My sons are very concerned for your health and want to ask you questions." The turtles scooted around to open a larger space between her and Splinter, looking at both of them with wide eyes. Splinter smirked and glanced at them. "My sons...now is the time to ask."

Donatello looked at Splinter nervously and then asked, "So...are you feeling all right?"

May looked him curiously, then her face mostly cleared. "Oh, you want to examine me again?"

Donatello flushed, trying to fold his hands rather than wring them. "No...more like, we want to know that you are all right."

"I feel fine," she said, looking at Splinter with confusion.

"Can we, like, touch you?" Mikey asked suddenly.

"Y-y-yes," May answered with a frown. She looked at the ninja master. "I don't understand—" Splinter simply raised a hand. "But..." She fell silent.

Leonardo looked at her nervously. "We don't know exactly how to...well, help you." Leo scratched the back of his head, looking away. "And we don't want to hurt your child."

May nervously chuckled. "It will be another few weeks before I show that badly, surely?"

Donatello nodded nervously. "Well, according to the emails you've been getting—"

May's face went grey and she shot an angry glance to him. "You've been reading my emails?"

Donatello's face flushed and he rubbed his hand over his face. "Ummm...I'm sorry. I just wanted to know more about...well,...what was going on." He seemed to turn an even darker color. "So I started reading the wellness emails and pregnancy emails..."

Splinter's eyebrows raised, but he said nothing, only looked at May. May swallowed deeply. "I had no idea."

Splinter nodded. "Why don't you tell us what you have learned, Donatello?"

Donatello went to his lab and brought back a paper folder of printouts. "These are the emails that I have printed. They've been pretty interesting," he said with an academic voice. "They show this neat diagram of what the child might look like inside..."

All of the turtles crowded around the printouts. Donatello pulled out the emails in order and Mikey squealed again as the illustrations showed the lima bean looking thing gradually growing into something that looked a little human. Donatello pointed to the highlighted doctor appointment reminds and the projected milestones on the timeline—the end of the first trimester, the projected time when the heartbeats could be heard, when the child would develop eyes and ears, when to expect to feel the first kicks, the beginning and end of the critical second trimester, and, of course, the expected due date ranges. Mikey grinned and occasionally pointed to the sidebar ads for toys. Leonardo looked solemnly at the information while Raphael smirked in satisfaction. Even Splinter craned his neck from time to time to see the illustrations.

Everyone studied the diagrams, until Mikey finally pointed to the timeline that they should be able to hear a heartbeat. Donnie shook his head sadly. "All I've got is a stethoscope. They're talking about really sophisticated equipment."

Everyone sighed and studied the emails again. May smiled a little wistfully and put a hand on her stomach. "It's all right," she whispered. "We'll see him soon enough."

Splinter nodded. "Indeed," he smirked. "Then, in my experience, we will want nothing more than for him to be quiet."

"We all assume that the baby will be a boy," May said. "What if it is a girl?"

Everyone paused expectantly. Raphael frowned to himself, seeming deep in thought. Leo looked surprised, glancing at Splinter. Donnie only nodded and shrugged philisophically. Michelangelo looked at her for a moment and then burst into an overjoyed smile. "Sweeeet! A baby sister!"

Suddenly Mikey was off in his own little world again. "We'll need some baby dolls and a tea set and some ruffly pink tutus—"

"Mikey! Be serious!" barked Raphael.

"But I am. It will be so cool to have a baby sister!"

Raphael growled again. Then he glanced at May curiously. After a few moments, he scooted closer to her and cleared his throat.

May looked at him shyly. "Is there something I can do for you, Raphael-san?"

Raph frowned and scratched the back of his head nervously. "Umm...well..." He glanced up at May, who was looking at him curiously. "That is..." He folded and unfolded his hands. "Could I just touch you?" May nodded a little and ever so slowly, he reached out to press one finger against her stomach. "You're...okay?"

She smiled at him. "I am fine." Glancing at Master Splinter's inscrutable face, she gently reached for the turtle's wrist and gently pulled it so that his palm was against her softly rounded stomach. "That's where he is...I think."

Raph tensed automatically as she held his wrist, but slowly, he relaxed, feeling the warm cloth covering her stomach. There was a tiny rounding, not much, but he thought that he could feel it. It felt...amazing that a new life was under there.

Mikey rushed forward and pushed him aside. "Let me have a turn!" He shoved his older brother and planted his hand on May's stomach. Hunching down, he pushed his head almost in her lap and his face against her stomach. "Hey little guy! I'm your big brother Michelangelo. I'm so happy—"

"Move it Michelangelo!" Raphael said, pushing on his younger brother's head. "You dork! The boy can't hear you right now anyway."

Leonardo frowned and crept forward. "Can I?"

May nodded and quite soon every turtle was crowded around her, gently stroking her stomach. May smiled hesitantly and glanced again at Splinter. Splinter looked at her solemnly, patiently kneeling with his back straight and his gaze looking forward.

"Master Splinter," she asked. "Are you...happy?"

Splinter suddenly focused on her. "Of course." He stroked his beard thoughtfully as he regarded his students. "However, I think that unless there are further questions, we might want to let May get back to her cooking."


	8. Chapter 7

May let out a squeak of horror and scrambled to the kitchen. Thankfully, the pan of spaghetti, sauce, cheese and pepperoni was cooked, but not burnt. Breathing deeply, she took the pan to the table and began to fish around for dishes.

Mikey burst out first. "I thought I smelled pizza!"

She looked at him and said, "I'm sorry—there's no pizza. But I think that you'll like this."

The turtles and Splinter gathered around the table. The turtles looked at her speculatively, but Splinter sat down and took a portion with aplomb. May dished up portions to each of them, giving Mikey a side piece with crispy cheese and Raphael a serving with extra pepperoni.

Splinter nodded and began to eat quietly. The turtles looked at each other and the new recipe. Mikey shrugged and said, "It smells like pizza so it can't be all bad."

As one, they took their first bite. Mikey smiled widely. "Amazing! It's like...pizza, but not pizza."

May smiled softly as they began to dig in heartily. She shot a grin to Splinter, almost bursting out like Mikey that the turtles were not only eating tomato sauce, noodles and cheese, but also shredded carrots and peppers and some finely chopped spinach. He only ate calmly and quietly. He'd be so proud that she had found a way to get the turtles to eat new vegetables—even if they didn't know it yet. She kept smiling, thinking that next time she'd maybe add mushrooms, unaware that the ninja master was actually regarding her thoughtfully.

The turtles all were pleased with the meal and Mikey, in his usual enthusiasm, licked the pan. So, despite the usual teenage complaints when Master Splinter asked them to go out on patrol again, they all bowed with good spirits and left the lair.

"The turtles enjoyed your cooking as always, May," Splinter remarked as she cleaned up.

"I'm glad," she replied, blushing and wiping up the table. "I was afraid that they would complain about the extra vegetables." Splinter glanced at her and she debated telling him about how she had looked up recipes to better use vegetables and to get picky eaters to eat them. Then he glanced away and she decided not to bore him with it.

"Would you like to continue learning how to meditate?" Splinter asked.

"I-i-if you don't mind teaching me," she replied, blushing.

He gestured towards the room that they shared. They knelt together and Splinter began to help her breathe slowly and evenly. Again, he suggested that she picture a flower—the oniyuri.

She couldn't resist a small smile as she looked at her folded hands in her lap. "Can I picture anything?"

Splinter looked at her and paused. He studied her for a moment and finally nodded. "As long as it is relaxing and soothing to you." He considered her fiery blush. "Ahhh." He took a deep breath. "Let us begin."

She began to picture the flower and how it would feel if she were to touch it. Her mind wandered for a moment and she pictured him dragging it over her hands. She blushed again, hoping that he didn't catch her mind wandering again.

"Focus," he admonished. "Begin again."

They meditated in relative peace and quiet for a few minutes until Splinter began to count down again. Her mind was focused on him and his voice seemed loud in the quiet. "Now, open your eyes and focus on me," he said.

May's eyes popped open and she found herself staring directly into his eyes. She smiled softly and tried not to blush again.

"Basic meditation will aid you in many ways," he said. "You will find that focusing on tasks will become easier and that minor aches and pains can be eased." He took another deep breath that May unconsciously echoed. "Has Leonardo showed you any of our stretches?"

"Some," she nodded. "He has been very worried that I shouldn't bend too far."

"He is still learning how to help you." Splinter nodded to himself. "I will help you tonight. But you will need to do the stretches daily."

May nodded and Splinter began to lead her through stretches of her shoulders and legs. The side stretches were difficult and Splinter gently pressed on her body to deepen the stretches. May bit her lower lip, trying to focus on the stretches, rather than his touch. Surprisingly, for "easy" stretches, May found herself weary and feeling boneless.

"Very good," Splinter nodded as she finished.

"Thank you, Master Splinter," she said with a bow.

He bowed in return. "You need practice, but you are doing well—all things considered."

May smiled and stood up. Unfortunately, her knees didn't quite support her and she collapsed back to the floor.

"May!" Splinter said, coming over to her. "Are you all right?"

"Just my knees," she said, biting her lip and flushing angrily.

"You must be careful! Do not overexert." He frowned. "I do seem to remember my wife over exerting when she was pregnant. The muscles are especially flexible and it is easier to overextend."

May nodded. Taking it very carefully, she stood up. Every muscle seemed to protest, but she was upright. "What was she like?"

Splinter whirled and looked at her strangely. "My wife?"

May looked down at her feet and debated not saying anything. But Splinter was looking at her and finally answered. "Y-yes." She dug her toes. "She sounds...amazing."

Splinter looked at her and then at the shelf with the picture on it. May's gaze followed his and she really looked at the picture. May sighed. "She was beautiful."

Splinter walked to the picture with an absent nod. "It was not only that she was beautiful, but she was intelligent. She knew her own mind and was not afraid to let anyone know her opinions." He cocked his head a little. "I think that is what made me sure she was the one for me—when she told me..." He laughed a little wistfully and glanced warmly at May. "She told me to stop being such a man and get cleaned up for once."

May looked at him, surprised. "What?" She couldn't imagine anyone telling him to do anything.

"Saki and I were outside after our training and—as young men will do—were more interested in continuing to fight. It began raining and we laughed and continued. When we finally came in, she was standing in the doorway and telling us to get cleaned up. She was shorter than either of us, but she stood in the middle of the doorway, daring us both to come in when we were all muddy." Splinter chuckled. "I ended up washing in the garden hose before she would let me in."

May chuckled at that. The she considered the solemn face in the picture. "I wish..."

"That you were more like her," Splinter finished for her.

May nodded a little wistfully.

"I do not," Splinter said, still considering the picture. "You are yourself. You do not need to be anyone else." He reached to her shoulder. "You are remarkable in your own way."

May looked at the picture and then him doubtfully. "But..."

"Do you doubt me?" Splinter asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, Master," she muttered uncertainly. She turned away from the portrait uncertainly. "Would you like the bath tonight?"

Splinter almost choked and coughed heavily. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that I have bathed numerous times and you have been too busy taking care of me...to have a chance..." she shrugged. She took one glance at his face and blushed. "I'll leave the room." She hurried out and pulled in the trashcan and began heating water. The screen was immensely heavy, though, and she struggled to pull it in when Splinter rose and pulled it up for her. She flushed and began filling the tub.

She grinned with satisfaction when the tub was finally full. She set a cup of tea behind the screen and pulled out the towels. The spare kimono was set over the screen. At last satisfied, she bowed out and closed the door.

Splinter smiled curiously and went in to bathe. He would never say it, but he had to admit that there were some things that he truly missed about being a man with a wife. Coming in to a hot bath was one of those things.

May couldn't settle in the common area. The video games were largely uninteresting to her. The television was too noisy and generally filled with reports of how terrible the world was. She had finished reading her library books. She rolled her shoulders again, trying to decide what to do.

The radio seemed to be a good start. It was finicky—Donatello had salvaged it and then rewired it a half dozen different ways—and was often set on Master Splinter's favorite classical music station. Bach poured out softly into the lair. May sat down on the couch and picked up a library book. April was good about picking up a few pulp romance novels whenever she got to the library and they would take turns reading them. The entire book was almost boring in it's formula plot—the beautiful girl is in trouble and goes to the handsome guy and they get together, argue, split up briefly, decide to reunite and then do the happily ever after ending.

"If only real life were so easy," she muttered sourly. Very few of the girls in the novel loved a mutant. Very few were pregnant with said mutant's worst enemy's child. There were a few who were pregnant, but somehow it was seemed to always be a problem-free pregnancy with no morning sickness, no major dizziness and the mindless thirst that seemed to plague her recently.

She fetched a glass of water and settled again on the couch. The hero and heroine were arguing about how she was in debt for some obscene amount and how he thought she should repay him for settling her debts. "That doesn't help," May muttered darkly. "I don't have any debts. No place to sleep except here, but no debts." She turned the page and then glanced down at her stomach. "And a baby on the way..."

She tossed the novel beside her on the couch. She ignored the splashing in the next room and idly began to pace. It was making her crazy. What should she do? Frowning, she finally crossed her legs and tried meditating. It was soothing—somewhat.

Frowning, she got up and put the kettle on to fix herself some tea. The turtles would be back soon and she would need to be alert. It was Leonardo's turn tonight, so he would be expecting her to listen to his latest adventure and rub his shoulders. While he didn't want quite as much cuddling as Michelangelo, he did want his fair share. May went to Leo's room and pulled out one of his blankets. Going back to the couch, she wrapped up, turned out all of the lights except for one and laid down on the couch. Before she knew it, she was asleep to the sounds of Bach and Beethoven and softly sloshing water.

Leonardo saw that the lights were out and signaled for the turtles to be quiet as they approached. Raphael automatically put his hand over Mikey's mouth and they sank into the shadows. Nothing appeared to be out of order except for a lump on the couch.

The turtles crept to the couch, weapons drawn. Leonardo crept to the edge and touched the blanket, pulling it down gently. The other turtles tensed, ready to attack, until Leonardo chuckled and pulled the back of the blanket to show May's hair.

Everyone drew in a deep breath and smiled. Yawning, Mikey went and nudged her shoulder. "Hey May," he said softly. "We're back!"

May blinked up at them sleepily and smiled. "Hey everyone." She sat up slowly, wincing at the slight pain in her shoulders. "Sorry...I fell asleep out here."

Leo looked around for a minute. There were only dim lights in Splinter's room. "Why are you out here?"

May yawned. "Splinter was taking a bath and I came out here." She stood up on wobbly legs and turned on a light. The turtles stood back as May sleepily gathered first aid supplies. Mikey sighed happily and sat down to be tended. "So what's the good news?"

Mikey grinned at her. "Well, Tino's is having a special on 3 topping pizzas and China Connection has a special on udon soup."

May chuckled and came up behind Raph. "You okay?"

"My ankle," he frowned.

"Ugh!" she sympathized, pulling out an ankle bandage. "I'll get you some ice."

"Where is Splinter?" Leonardo asked, reaching for some balm.

May shrugged. "Last time I saw him, he was in his room."

Leo nodded and went to the door. He knocked timidly. "Master Splinter?" He waited for a few moments, then slid open the door. "Master Splinter?" He looked around. "It's empty."

Mikey looked surprised and came to look himself. "Hey, where is he?"

Leonardo frowned. "I don't know." He looked at May. "Did he say anything to you, May?"

May looked at them, frowning. "No. I don't remember anything, but I fell asleep on the couch after he got into his bath." She went into the room, looking at her corner. "I don't see a note or anything." She looked back at the turtles. "Nothing here."

Leo looked at the turtles and frowned. "I guess we'll wait here." He looked at his brothers. "I'll sit out here first. Donatello, you relieve me in a few hours. Mikey, you're after Donnie and Raph, you'll be after Donnie."

Everyone nodded and went to their bedrooms except for May. "What do you want me to do, Leo?" she asked softly.

He blinked and looked at her in surprise. "Umm...why don't you..uhh...go to bed. In the morning we'll all be hungry."

She nodded. "Do you want me to be...?" She gestured towards Splinter's room. "It's your night."

Leo flushed. "Hey...umm...this is more important. I gotta be up." She nodded uncertainly. "Why don't you go clean up the bath?"

May nodded. Going into the room, she cleaned up the small puddles of water. The red kimono was draped over the screen. The teacup went into the sink and the kimono was washed. The screen was pushed to the side of the room. It took several trips with the pot, but she managed to empty the tub.

"Night, Leo," she sighed. "See you in the morning."

The morning came and she got up. Mechanically, she went to get the tea ready. Splinter was in the common room, sitting up with Raphael. "Good morning, Master Splinter," she said with surprise. "Raphael, good morning to you as well."

"Good morning, May," said Splinter.

"Splinter came in this morning," Raph grunted by way of explanation. "I'm going to bed."

May nodded with some confusion. "Can I get you anything?"

"Just some sleep," Raph grunted.

Splinter smirked and they watched Raph head to bed. May looked after him. "As...you wish." She glanced up at the ninja master as he sipped his tea. "Everyone was...worried when they couldn't find...you..."

Splinter smirked. "I cannot go out without an uproar?"

May flushed. "Yes. I mean... No... I mean. Of course, you are free to go wherever and whenever you wish." She shrugged as she pulled out another cup for tea. "They got back and were worried."

Splinter smiled mysteriously and took another sip of his tea. May sighed, ignoring her burning curiosity and began her cleaning for the day. Splinter's kimono was dry and she folded it absently. For a moment, she felt her eyes inexplicably water and she hugged the kimono tightly before snuffling and put it away.

She left the room so that the others could train. There was a certain amount of peace in the mindless drudgery of cleaning up after 4 teenagers. The soft swishing of her cloth against the counter drowned out the things she did not want to think about.

In a way, she envied the turtles and April. Not only did they get some of Splinter's time and attention, but they had something concrete that they could do. She wished for a still moment, staring into the reflection in her bucket, that she didn't have a baby. Then she could train—maybe with April. She kept meaning to ask her why Splinter had insisted on training April, but with running around, it never seemed to get done.

She punched her cloth into her own reflection in the soapy water. Not that she actually got to do a lot of the running around any more. Everyone seemed insistent that she stay near the lair, preferably with one or more of the turtles. It wasn't fair—everyone else had a job to do and could come and go.

Warm, soapy water went everywhere. Sighing heavily, she wiped up the mess and began chipping away at the sticky spot that Michelangelo left whenever he ate anything more complicated than pizza. At least Raphael—with all of his bluster and shouting—was a neat eater and he would occasionally take her out to watch the sun go down over the city or the view of the water from one of the numerous dry storm drains. Leonardo rarely wanted to go anywhere and wanted company and his feet rubbed. Mikey wanted someone to beat at video games.

Maybe it was time to strike out on her own? She frowned as she fished out a knife to scrape up whatever it was on the table. There was a Planned Parenthood not too far away and a homeless shelter. At least in the shelter, she'd be able to feel the sun on her face each day.

Her eyes began to burn with tears. She missed the sun—just sitting in the sunlight. She missed going to the library and having coffee and watching people go past. She even had begun missing her father even though he had rarely had a good thing to say about her.

It all got the better of her, and she paused for a few moments. Each breath seemed hot in her lungs and scalding tears slid down her cheeks. She tried to draw in a deep breath but there was such a hard knot in her throat, she couldn't manage more than a sip of air. The knot was a scream or a cry and it was stuck inside her and couldn't get out.

She brushed aside the tears on her cheeks and her fingers slid over the rolls of red scars on one side. The knot in her throat was joined by a terrified friend and they threatened to choke her. Her fingers felt the lines on her face again, as though they were unfamiliar, and the breath seemed to leak out of her.

She was suddenly aware of the silence in the lair. Gulping furiously, she brushed her hand over her face and pulled some hair over the damaged cheek. The spot on the table was still there and she attacked it with the edge of the plastic knife, scraping it up crumb by crumb. She could growl at it safely and it seemed to sate the turbulence inside to growl and attack and scrape at the damn spot.

At last, she got it all up and she dunked the knife in her bucket, along with the cloth. The deep breath was cleansing, but she needed to get out of here. She looked around—the lair was clean, relatively. It was at least better than she found it. She poured out the bucket of water and put her supplies away.

Her robe hung in the closet that they kept the mops and brooms in. It had seen better days, but it was clean. She fanned herself slightly. Inexplicably, she felt hot most of the time and was usually in a tank top. Thankfully, Kirby had thrown out a few pairs of worn thin sweat pants and April's friend, Erma, had tossed out some loose tank tops that still skimmed over her changing body. This was her current favorite combination—a backless cotton tank that didn't irritate her scars and a pair of dark gray sweats with a soft, stretchy waistband.

Donatello would likely not want to go out, but she could ask him. There had to be somewhere that he would like to go. Anywhere would be good as long as it was out of the lair. Maybe there was an electronics store somewhere that he would like to visit. Going out was a pleasant thought and it made her happy. She chuckled suddenly. Of all places, she was excited about the thought of going to an Electronics Shack. She was excited to look at a bunch of transistors and diodes and wiring.

The turtles came out, enthusiastic about being out of training. They were chattering and May simply bit her lip. May absently began to fix another stir fry, grateful for the mindless work. The lair was filled with the smell of garlic and ginger and soy.

"Stir fry again?" Mikey asked, looking at the battered pan.

"Michelangelo!" Splinter snapped from the doorway. "Do not complain."

May smiled at the turtle. "We're doing pizza tomorrow."

"BOYAH!" he cheered.

Splinter was too calm to roll his eyes, but May did. Michelangelo would forever be a fan of pizza. "Tomorrow, Mikey."

Splinter came and set down and accepted some tea. He seemed to study the teacup thoughtfully and as May began to set the table, she asked, "Is something wrong Master Splinter?"

He looked up at her. "Nothing. Just thinking deeply."

May peered at him and nodded uncertainly. "Dinner is almost ready."

Everyone tucked into the stir fry, crunching on the onions and peppers and peas and broccoli with noodles and fried eggs. May picked at her portion and glanced up at Donatello. Trying to sound casual, she asked, "Could we go poke around the Electronics Shack tonight?"

Donatello stopped with his mouth open and his bite half way to his mouth. Carefully, he put it down. "Umm...I do need some components, but...I don't know if it's a good idea." At her disappointed face, he flushed. "Well...if we wait and go like, after 8:30 or something..." He glanced nervously at Splinter. "Maybe if it's dark and not too crowded..."

She grinned at him. "8:30 is great. I'll be right here."

After dinner, she cleaned up and heard an electronic melody. Donnie leapt up and picked up a phone. He grinned a silly smile and cleared his throat a few times before answering. "Hey April. Oh? Tonight? Yeah...I think I can." He paused, nodding silently with a silly grin on his face and ignoring the increasingly comical faces of his brothers. "Sure. What about around 8:30?" May's face fell as she listened to him. "That would be great. We could go get a pizza..."

May refused to listen any more. She scrubbed the dishes wildly and put them away. Darkly, she considered hurling something at Donatello's head and her hand was on a pan when Splinter glanced at her and cleared his throat. The turtles were ignoring them, focusing on trying to get Donnie to laugh or snort or something else as he flirted on the phone. May glanced at the rat and he shook his head ever so slightly. With a huffy sigh, she let go of the pan.

Frustrated, she finished and went to the little corner where she had made her bed. Disappointed she sat on the floor and put her head in her hands and just wept. It was too frustrating to bear.

The door slid open and May sniffled and looked up. The immense form of Splinter stood in silhouette in the doorway. Behind him, the turtles were still laughing and teasing Donnie. Sniffling and standing, May wiped the tears away angrily.

"You are disappointed," Splinter said. It was a statement of fact, rather than a question.

"Yeah," she sniffed. Fumbling around, she found the square of cotton she kept as a handkerchief and blew her nose. "I am pretty disappointed." She flushed. "I don't know why I've wanted to cry so much today."

Splinter came up to her and put his hands on her shoulders. "My son should apologize to you."

May shook her head a little sadly. "He's so happy to see April and the others don't ever give him a break. I hate to break that up." She hiccuped and wiped her face. "I've just felt out of sorts today." She grinned up at him. "And I can so guilt him into a trip next time."

"The formidable weapons of a woman," Splinter smirked. "But I thought that we might take advantage of this and go out ourselves."

May's face lit up and she crashed into him, wrapping him in a big bear hug. "Thank you! Thank you!" She laughed up at him. "Thank you so much."

Splinter gently wrapped his arms around her and hugged her, stroking her hair. "We will go as soon as we are cleaned up and ready." Quick as a wink, she was washing her face and wrapping her hair up into a bun and sliding on her robe.

Raphael, Leonardo and Michelangelo were hardly done hooting at Donnie as he bounded off to see April when Splinter came out with May. All three of their mouths were open as, very calmly, Splinter and May left the lair together.

Splinter took May around to a storm drain that went past Central Park. May glanced up through the grate and saw the outlines of trees. They turned down a tunnel and went up through to an alley. Traffic raced past in a bewildering racket. May glanced at the traffic, looking uncertainly at the flashing lights, but Splinter pulled her deeper into the shadows away from the traffic.

"I think that you will find this interesting," he whispered, gesturing towards some boxes.

May glanced up at him and peered into the shadows. There were several pieces of...something...lined up against a dumpster. May crept closer, curiously. Then her hands slid out and ran over the pieces.

"A...highchair? And...a playpen?!" she whispered in amazement. Suddenly she couldn't resist and tore into the boxes. "There's—!"

"Shh!" hissed Splinter. "Quietly." He gestured. "One of these stores is a boutique that takes and resells baby and children's things. They leave what they can not sell here until another charity picks it up." He winked. "And they pick up every Thursday."

"Tomorrow," May whispered back, holding a stack of bibs and smiling wickedly.

Splinter glanced around nervously. "Hurry, my dear. But quietly. The upper floors are apartments."

May grabbed a box and began stuffing it with a pile of clothes. The bottles left behind were beat up and she didn't trust the cracking nipples, but she snatched up the bibs, the tiny blankets, and a motley collection of shirts. Splinter went back down the manhole and waited patiently as she handed down the wooden highchair, the compact Pak-N-Play playpen and a box stuffed with clothes and a few toys. The carseat seemed completely unnecessary—there was no car and she couldn't drive it even if there was.

Splinter climbed back out to see what May was still doing. She pulled and pulled on a box loaded down with more clothes and stuff. He crept further out and reached to take it for her when something flickered in the corner of his eye.

He shoved May into the pile of clothes and rolled away. May stared at the quivering throwing knife that was stuck in the cracked pavement. Slowly looking down the alley, she looked at the gangling forms dressed in black and advancing on them.

"May!" Splinter hissed. "Get down in the sewers. Quickly!" Quickly, he picked up the knife and threw it back. It landed squarely between the eyes of the form, then crackled with electricity and the form fell with a mechanical clank.

May slid backwards, terrified. Splinter simply stood, waiting calmly for them to approach. Three forms approached at once and Splinter defeated them with moves that were so smooth that he seemed to merely be dancing. Two more approached, throwing knives and drawing weapons. May scooped up what she could when one more dropped from the rooftops behind Splinter.

May grabbed the first thing she could and didn't even see what she grabbed. She swung as hard as she could for the thing's head. The sound of cracking metal echoed in the alley and May's ears rang with the sound as the figure's head twisted in a sickening and unnatural way. Her teeth gritted painfully as her shoulder seemed to vibrate with the force of the blow. Surely the thing would fall?

Unfortunately, it only swung around and it slammed into May, sending her spinning into the piles of boxes and clothes. Some sharp hook or corner on the figure snagged into the voluminous fabric of her robe and as it pulled back the robe tore away from her face and down to her waist. She tasted blood and whimpered as her head swum and her shoulders ached. Even her jaw ached as the cool air touched her back and shoulders as she staggered up to her hands and knees.

Splinter whirled around and swung at the dazed form behind him that was towering over May. Growling, he snatched up a discarded knife and jammed it into the Foot bot which collapsed in a shower of sparks. The others were easily dispatched and he leapt over to May's sobbing form.

May stood at his bidding, dazed and almost unaware of his gentle hands. Hurrying, he forced them down the manhole, dragging the cover over them. She wobbled heavily, but drug the heavy box and the broken thing she had swung as Splinter moved everything else.

The turtles gaped at May and Splinter as they came in. Michelangelo and Raphael took the heavier highchair and play pen. Leonardo leapt forward to take the box and Splinter wearily guided her to the couch.

Mikey was peculiarly silent as Splinter gently began to pry her fingers from around the stroller. He looked at her sadly and sat beside her as the bent and cracked frame fell at last to the floor.

"Leonardo," he said softly. "Please fetch us some hot tea."

April and Donatello emerged from the lab to watch as Splinter guided Michelangelo to sit with her. He fetched the silk quilt and wrapped it around her, pressing the cup of tea into her stiff fingers. Then he sat beside her, wrapping an arm around her and letting the wide arm of his kimono drape around her shoulders like a shawl.

Donatello stood back with April. Leonardo and Raphael stood to one side and Michelangelo joined them, watching as Splinter patiently coaxed her to drink the hot tea. She shivered and sipped at his prompting.

Suddenly, May seemed to snap to the present, shaking and almost dropping the cup and she buried her head in his wide shoulder. "I'm so...so so...sorry, Master," she whimpered. He gently stroked her hair back from her face. "So sorry..."

Splinter gently squeezed her shoulders. "There is nothing for you to be sorry for." He sighed and tucked her face into his neck. She wilted against him as he took the teacup from her. "You are well? You are not hurt?"

Unexpectedly, she let out a sad laugh. "Only you would be worried about me when it was you in danger."

Splinter snorted. "I am fine. There were only a few of them."

She looked up at him seriously. "Really?" She coughed a little and sniffled. "It didn't seem like only a few to me."

He smiled at her and stroked her hair again. "I am fine." He nuzzled her again. "However, I believe that you are quite dangerous with a...stroller."

She grinned a little wearily at him. "It was all I had."

Splinter nodded. "Ninja have been improvising weapons for many years." Slowly, he brought his hand to cover her stomach and gently pat it. "And I believe that this one will continue that tradition." He stood up, pulling May up with him. "But you are frigid."

Donatello stepped forward. "Perhaps she's in shock?"

"Indeed," Splinter nodded. "We will need to go to bed, I think."

"Thank you," she agreed softly. "I will go, but I think that you will only come back out to speak to the turtles." He smiled at her understanding, but did not deny it. She blew out a deep breath and looked up at him ruefully. "I'll get this cleaned up tomorrow."

Splinter glanced at the turtles, amused by her accurate insight. "I believe that we will stay up a bit."

She nodded. "As you wish..."

Splinter stood with her and led her to the doorway as the turtles bowed to them. "Go get ready. I will only be out here for a few moments."

Leonardo frowned thoughtfully as Splinter turned to face them again. "Master Splinter...what happened?"

Splinter plucked at his chin. "We went out to fetch some supplies for her and the Foot discovered us. They attacked and were defeated."

Donnie glanced nervously at April. "Are you sure that's all it was?" Splinter looked at him patiently. "I mean, it's the second attack like this." He flushed as everyone looked at him. "I had an idea that I thought would help." He went over to a wall and tapped on it. "Since sometimes we get attacked here, I thought that we could give her an escape route.

"There's an old office behind this wall. For some reason, it was walled over on the other side—I guess so that a door could be put on this side—but the new door never got put in. According to my measurements, it's not very big—maybe four by six."

Splinter nodded. "And you think that this could be her room?"

"Not exactly," Donatello replied. "I was watching some television and saw where there were some...uhh...teahouses and some other places that had doors in the wall where the...girls could go to hide from people who were getting too rowdy." He pulled a rolled up piece of paper and showed it to them. "The hidden door was behind some shelves with teacups on it and the door pushed into the room, so it was even more hidden. We could reinforce the walls at the doors and put shelves up so that no one will notice. She'll be able to go inside and lock it if she's attacked here."

"That does sound promising," Splinter nodded.

Mikey grinned. "We could even, like, put a little bed and lamp so that she's all warm and cozy."

Donnie nodded uncertainly. "If the walls are thick enough, not even her body heat would be detectable out here. So the Foot would never know she was there."

Leo seemed to be thinking this idea over. "Maybe we could give her a smoke bomb as well so that she could cover her tracks."

Mikey cheered. "Yeah! Let's do this!"

Splinter nodded thoughtfully. "We will have to practice with her." He smiled at his boys. "But for now, let us move this out of the way."

The turtles pushed the stuff aside and stacked the boxes. Michelangelo had to be reminded several times to leave the few baby toys alone until they were cleaned, but the others were pleased to silently help May keep things tidy.

Splinter took up his cane and went to the bedroom. May was examining the remains of her black robe, her quilt still around her shoulders. He raised an eyebrow. "You should be in bed."

"I...I couldn't sleep," she stuttered. "I am amazed that you found me so much. I...just—" She looked at him. "I hated that I couldn't help you." She unconsciously wrapped her arms around herself and chaffed her skin. "I felt so helpless and I hated it." Haunted eyes looked up at him. "What if something had happened to you?"

Splinter knelt close to her. "Then you would have come back here and the turtles would protect you." He smirked at her. "There is every chance that I was the target, and not you. Oroku Saki has never forgiven me for winning Tang Shen's heart."

May glanced down at her hands and then back at him. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Splinter smiled and gently stroked her hair. It was amusing that as much as she tied it back out of the way, somehow a few curls always managed to escape and drift into her face. "You are very special to me as well."

She felt her body go boneless and she leaned against him, yawning widely. "I cannot wait to go through the boxes." She yawned again. "It's like Christmas."

"I would guess that you never slept the night before Christmas."

"Heck no. I would spend the entire night wondering what Santa would leave for me." A laugh burbled up. The quilt slid a little off her shoulders.

Splinter glanced down and saw a darkening bruise on her shoulder. With a frown, he slid the quilt down and saw the edge of a bruise on her side peeking out over the top of her tank top. "Are you all right?"

May nodded sleepily and yawned. When his hand brushed the purpling crimson spots, she gasped and sat up. "What?!" She squirmed and peeked at her side. "Gees...I didn't even feel that."

"You must have fallen hard," he sighed. "We will go speak to Donatello tonight and tomorrow when I am not training the others, then I will teach you how to break your falls." He kept one arm around her shoulders, holding her close as he began to walk her back out.

"Master," she began hesitantly. "I would love to learn anything you wish to teach me."

"Good," he smiled. "We'll see if you say that after I have trained with you tomorrow."

She smiled in return and they went back out to find Donatello. The purple masked turtle was sitting on the couch with April as Raphael and Leonardo battled their robots on their video game.

"Donatello," Splinter said in the peculiar way that always seemed to cut though any noise to echo in the room. "May was injured and I would like you to help her."

Donatello grimaced and stood up. Leading them to the lab, he pulled out an old stool and had May sit down. Splinter pointedly traced the bruise on her shoulder. The turtle looked at it and gulped down a breath.

"That looks like it hurt," Donnie said. "Can you move your arm?"

May nodded. "It hurts, but I can still move it. My side hurts more—"

Donnie sighed. "I'll get the medical kit." He looked around—every surface was covered with papers and pieces of electronics and books. "Umm...is your stomach okay?"

She nodded. "I hit the...robot, I guess, and it got mad and smacked me down. It was still up but Master Splinter got it before it took another step, so I guess I was lucky."

Donnie picked up his stethoscope and gently put it on her side. She took deep breaths in and out, twisted and moved slightly. He grinned at her. "I think that it looks uglier than it is. Since you're so...well, pale, it does look a lot worse than—" He flushed.

"Than on April," she finished. "We can't all be tough ninjas."

"Indeed," Splinter said. "If you are all right, then we will get the first aid kit and go back."

Donnie nodded. "From what I can tell, she's shook up, but not badly hurt. Unless she starts...uhh...bleeding or something, then I'd guess she's okay." He sighed sadly. "I can only guess..." After a moment, he scratched the back of his head and then looked at May. "Look, I'm sorry I wasn't there—"

May smiled and gently placed her hand on his. "It's okay. Thank you."

Splinter gathered her close and somehow managed to snag the first aid kit and a cooler pack from the freezer while leading her to the bedroom. The turtles who were not playing the video game solemnly watched with curious eyes.

Splinter took out the mat and all the blankets and both pillows, deciding that she needed to be made comfortable. He laid one of the blankets on top of the mat and then put May on top of it and drew the quilt over her. May watched as he took a cloth and wet it. With all the solemn formality of a priest preparing Mass, he pulled the quilt up over her chest and gently pulled the loose tank aside to expose the bruises on her side. He cleaned up her scrapes and bruises, sliding pain relief gel over the worst places.

May shifted to try to look up at him, the quilt gapping away from her chest a little. He was moving so patiently and carefully, it was like she was made of the most fragile of porceline. With amazing calm, he wrapped her arm in a bandage and tucked the quilt back around her. She yawned again and he began to undo her bun to spread her hair over the pillows. She closed her eyes for a moment and, like magic, he seemed to have conjured a comb from thin air and began to gently comb her hair out and stroke her head.

It felt like a magic potion as Splinter massaged her head and combed through her hair. May felt herself grow more and more relaxed with every stroke. She stretched under the blankets, smiling and yawning more deeply.

Splinter put the comb aside and stroked her hair again. She was all but asleep when he pulled up the blanket and laid down beside her. He propped himself up on an elbow and kept stroking her hair. She had truly lovely hair and it rippled across the pillows like a raven dark river. With his free hand, he swept it up over her head so that there was room for him as he curled around her.

He nuzzled her hair and tried to fit around her. It felt clumsy. The last time he did this, he had been human. Now in his larger rat form, it felt a little like her dwarfed her. Draping an arm over her, he felt rewarded by her sleepy cuddle slide next to him. Gingerly, he curled his tail over her leg. He would not have been surprised had she kicked it off—it probably felt very strange compared to a human. Instead she sighed sleepily and pressed a little harder against him.

The next morning came early and Splinter again was less inclined to rise at his normal, early time. They had shifted in the night and she lay with her head on his chest. Sometime during the night, his kimono had slid open a little further and her head lay on his almost bare, furry chest.

May felt him shift again and finally considered getting up. Her sleep had been blessedly dreamless and deep. Sighing, she opened her eyes dreamily, smiling at the warm fur beneath her cheek. With a deep, regretful sigh, she sat up and smiled at Splinter.

"Good morning," she smiled. "Hot tea as usual?"

Splinter propped himself up lazily on two elbows. "Good morning. And yes, tea and toast as usual."

They slid out of bed together and put up the bedding. Then May went to the kitchen to start the kettle. She was grateful that the turtles seemed to have slept in to their normal times and was about to snag a minute or three on the couch when she saw that April was there. Grinning slightly, she put some extra water in the pot and pulled out some extra slices of bread. In the back of the fridge there were a few tiny tubs of jelly and it seemed polite to set them out.

Splinter came out and glanced at May and then looked at the couch. He rolled his eyes a little and whispered to her, "One tiny slip in discipline and all of them are now—"

She giggled a little as April turned over.

Splinter straightened up and gestured towards the kettle. May nodded. "I've got some extra toast and water heating."

He smiled warmly at her and went to sit down at the table. May brought him his tea and toast as usual and poured herself a cup. April stirred again and sat up as May poured the third cup and brought out the sugar. Sleepily, she came over to the table for her cup and her toast.

"Good morning, April," Splinter said.

April nodded. "Good morning." She looked at May groggily. "I don't suppose that you have coffee?"

May smirked. "Sorry. No coffee."

April sighed heavily and took the tea and cradled her head in her hand. "That's what I'm getting you for Christmas."

"Coffee?" Splinter asked with a little bit of humor creeping into his voice.

"Yeah," April sighed. "I saw a little one at the Goodwill. It made only like four cups..." She shook her head a little. "I can't believe that Donatello can function without coffee."

May chuckled and sipped her tea. "Donatello has mentioned that you have gotten him an espresso from time to time."

April smiled. "Caramel double espresso with soy milk." She took a piece of toast and spread some jelly on it. "And he's absolutely addicted to to the cheese Danishes."

May looked at Splinter. "It sounds like we know what to do for Donatello's birthday."

Splinter nodded absently. "The turtles are getting up now. If either of you wish to train before them, then we must begin."

"I've got to see if I can salvage my robe." May shrugged. "Otherwise I'm not going anywhere ever." She smiled at Splinter bashfully. "And I've got to clean up everything else."

April watched as Raphael shuffled in. "I'll hang out with you and let the guys go first." Splinter looked at her curiously. She chuckled again, winking at May. "Wise man say wait for sensei to be tired or else you will be."

May snorted, flushing red. "Want to help me go through baby stuff?"

April nodded, slugging down her tea. "Sure. Just let me call dad and tell him that I'm alive."

May began to clean up the breakfast as April called Kirby. She dug out her cloth and filled a bucket with soap and water. April chuckled and flushed red and finally hung up her cell phone. Walking over to where May was setting up the highchair and wiping it down, she said, "So how is Mr. O'Neil?"

"He is okay. Worried about me as always." April sighed heavily. "He's trying to come around to the idea of us..."

"Us?" May looked at her with a onsie in her hands.

April plopped down on the floor in front of a box. "Yeah...he's always been kind of nervous. It drove me crazy because he was always the annoying parent standing outside the school with sweaty palms and just sure that I'd been kidnapped or killed."

May laughed merrily. "Umm...maybe that's a good reaction. After all, according to the turtles you have been kidnapped. Multiple times."

April laughed shakily. "I guess so." She picked up a pink outfit and began to fold it. "But that so didn't happen in kindergarten." She shrugged. "And I'm a whole lot better able to take care of myself now.. But he's actually concerned more about...well, us." She couldn't look in May's eyes for a minute. "He thinks that an unwed, homeless mother is...like...a bad influence or something."

May looked at her in shock and sat down on the floor beside her. "What?!"

"Yeah... He's got this thing about marriage and parenthood."

May looked at her with shock. "So...four teenage turtle ninjas and a rat ninja master aren't going to faze him, but I am."

April sighed. "Yeah...you're actually...normal enough for him to object to." May growled and sighed, beginning to scrub the high chair. "He's always talking about how you are going to attract Shredder like a picnic attracts ants and then I'm going to get kidnapped and killed and minced and mutated—"

May wrung her hands. "It's not my fault. I didn't do it." Tears filled her eyes. "I sure as heck didn't ask for it."

April stood up and took her hands. "I know." She swallowed. "I sure am sorry that it happened to you. But he's old fashioned and doesn't always realize how he sounds." April coughed and flushed. "Look, umm...can you give me some advice?"

May looked at her in confusion. "What on earth?"

"About Don and I..." April frowned. "I mean... We...are... well..."

"You're...serious?!"

"Yeah," she flushed. "We are going to... well... We're thinking about... You know, going steady." She took out a few more pieces of baby clothes to fold. "And if you and Master Splinter are...together..."

May puffed out a breath. "Well...I think that you and he need to take it it one step at a time..."

"Tell me about it," April said. "But sometimes it doesn't seem like we're going anywhere." They folded the clothes, sorting them into sizes. "Every time that we get going, there's an invasion or a mutant problem or a Foot attack..."

"Ugh," May agreed. "We got jumped last night."

"Yeah, but you've got a wicked stroller arm. Even Splinter seemed impressed."

May looked at the broken stroller frame in the trashcan and laughed. They turned on the television and sorted the clothes. The playpen was a mess—the screws were taped to the bottom and they had to raid the lab to find the right sized Allen wrench. Then they fiddled around with an attachment that was purportedly a nightlight and massage attachment—finally raiding the lab again for batteries.

Finally it was set up and cleaned up. May looked at the clock and gasped. Lunch was expected in ten minutes. "Ugh! What am I going to do? It's ten minutes to lunch. What am I going to cook?"

April sighed. "No problem. Just fix some sandwiches. Mikey will eat anything with cheese and tomato sauce. Leonardo will do whatever as long as people aren't actively trying to beat his high score on Battle Brawl II. Raphael doesn't care—he's angry no matter what."

May smiled nervously. "We've got bread and some deli ham."

"Uhh...Maybe we can do pizza?"

Splinter came out with the turtles as April was wrapping up an order at Tino's. April smiled at the turtles and their father and hung up. "We'll go pick up pizza for lunch."

Splinter looked at May sharply and shook his head. May sighed and nodded. "She's going to go get it. I'll just walk along until she goes topside."

"No."

Donatello came forward with a smile. "I'll go with you, April."

"Sure thing."

May flushed and looked at them as they left together. "I promise that I'll cook for dinner," she whispered to Splinter, who nodded in response.


	9. Chapter 8

Meanwhile, a thin dark figure darted down a hallway in an immense building with a clocktower looking over the city. A single photo fell from the sheaf and the figure didn't even stop. It went all the way to the penthouse without stopping. Running down the hallway, it didn't stop until it reached the atrium. The entire back wall was behind the glass clock face. Two long rectangular reflecting pools lined a thin aisle that led to a staircase with a spiked throne.

"You have the pictures?" a deep, grating voice growled. On the throne, an armored man with a spiked helmet looked down at the skinny figure. "Pictures of the latest failure?"

The armored man glided down the stairs. He took the pictures and began restlessly flipping through them.

The first picture was of a nondescript alley with the typical graffiti and trash in it. The next showed a dark figure sliding out of the manhole in the alley. He had most of the alleys watched, trying to narrow down the location of his enemies. This one was unexpected—there were no strategic benefits to this one. It was primarily higher end boutiques with apartments above them.

He went to the next picture. The giant shadowy figure was completely in the alley, along with a billowing, darkly robed figure. The next picture showed the robed figure looking around as the rat went to the boxes.

He grunted. In such a large city with an immense population in all kinds of ethnic dress, it was not possible to monitor everyone. Muslim women in heavy robes were not common, but not unknown. The entire form would be covered. So the disguise was ingenious.

The next figure showed them looking through the boxes. He was able to see that they had picked out an indistinct high chair and a couple of piles of clothes. It was curious gear—that he had no idea why it would be important.

The following picture showed Splinter surrounded by Foot soldiers. There were only a few—a scouting party looking for a rogue Purple Dragon gang member who was supposed to be interested in talking to the police. All of them had orders to attack the rat and his mutant followers on sight.

The next one was curious enough. The robed figure was on the ground. The details were a little fuzzy, but it was clear enough to see a pale face with long, red scars from the hairline to the chin. She was almost laying on her stomach and hands and knees, a cut lip glistening red. But most riveting was the clear details of her back. His own name was carved in red characters on her pale skin.

With a grunt and an abrupt gesture, he dismissed his underlings. They filed out and melted away, leaving him alone in the huge atrium. He stared at the curious figure caught unaware in the photograph. The huge stone atrium almost echoed in his startled breath.

Flipping through the pictures, he looked at the surroundings. It was not in a familiar place—he had no reason to frequent the yuppie neighborhoods with little boutiques and overpriced coffee shops. He could see the Purple Dragon's gang symbol on the wall of the alley, so it was under his control. Most of the city was.

He didn't want to believe what he was seeing in the night vision pictures. The rat never emerged from his nest without compelling reason. Usually his turtles were the ones to appear and cause difficulties. So the rat was desperate. The girl was probably desperate as well. She was homeless—he had burned her home after leaving it. She was pregnant—there was no other particularly logical explanation for the rat to be poking around high chairs and baby toys.

Disturbed, he went to his private quarters and sat in front of a othello board. It was an intricate antique piece that he had brought from Japan. The board itself was a solid piece of green marble. The chips were smooth, flat circles of ebony and ivory. In the middle were a pair of black chips and and white chips in a checkered pattern.

It was said that there was a thousand moves from the start as a man has a thousand paths before him each day.

He picked up a white chip and placed it on the board. The rat was desperate—desperate enough to come to the surface.

He picked up a black chip. He was desperate for reasons unknown and unconfirmed.

He picked up a black chip. The location of their headquarters was unknown.

He picked up a white chip. The girl was most likely with them. If he could find them, he would find her. Or the opposite.

He picked up a black chip. The girl was pregnant.

He picked up a white chip. He had had the girl first—he had marked her. Considering that, he picked up a second white chip and placed it on the board.

He picked up a black chip. The girl had been living in a place or places unknown.

He picked up a black chip. Given that the rat was with her now, it was likely she had been living for a period of time with them.

He picked up a white chip. It was unlikely that the rat had done anything to her. Yoshi had been sickeningly noble as a human. He had not even looked at another woman after he had married.

He picked up a white chip. The rat was not likely to allow the turtles to touch her either. He was as strict as their own teacher in terms of treating ladies under the protection of the clan with respect. Even the teenage gaijin—April O'Neil—had not been reported doing anything more than occasionally going out with one of them.

He picked up a white chip. Given that set of circumstances, it was more probable that the girl—if she was pregnant—was carrying his own child.

He studied the remaining chips. A boy would be able to become a formidable heir—a white chip. A girl would be, unfortunately, less valuable—a black chip. He had trained Karai—but she had been Yoshi's child and Tang Shen had been under the protection of the clan for years. It was unlikely to happen again that a girl would inherit such ferocity.

Then again, a girl could help him make an alliance. He was one of the most powerful men of the underworld, but it never hurt to extend that loyalty through marriage. A white chip was placed on the board.

It was more certain that she was not one of those girls who would choose to abort an inconvenient pregnancy. She would have done it before now if that had been the plan. The rat would not have stolen if that had been her plan. That was a white chip placed with a certain amount of satisfaction.

If she was living with the rat and his disciples, then it was likely she had not be in the healthiest environment. A black chip was slid to the board. She had likely not had the doctor's appointments—which warranted another black chip.

But if she wanted the child, then she would be a fool to turn down the opportunity to have medical assistance. He took out a white chip. He had the money to afford the best of care and the power to ensure the best of professionals as well as the best of discretion. He added another white chip.

In addition, he would be able to make it impossible for anyone to give her assistance. That would not be hard—he'd barely have to flex his considerable power since she was homeless and presumably had no money. Another white chip hit the board.

He picked up a beautiful, smooth black chip. She had not seen his best side. Persuasion was not likely to bring success. The chip was warm in his fingers as he twirled it.

He had felt angry that night. No one else was there to witness it, but the night that he had attacked her father had been the very night that Tang Shen had...died. He didn't like to admit that his hand had done the deed. His hand had been red with the blood—it had dripped from his fingers and run down his wrist. He had not been able to smell anything but the copper scent of blood and smoke.

He had been prepared to get wildly drunk the night of the attack. He had ordered four bottles of the finest sake. Beer had never appealed to him and wine reminded him of the soft plum scent that Tang Shen had been wearing that night. He had trained until sweat had dripped off his body and his mighty muscles had been aching. His scars had itched and tightened as sweat and blood had dripped over them. He had stripped to a pair of loose pants and sat down in front of the immense stone fireplace in his bedroom to meditate. One hour had turned into two and the sun had long since gone down. He had then picked up the cup and filled it.

He had supposed that he should have toasted, but he simply threw back his head and let the liquid burn down his throat. Three cups later, his throat still burned, but at least then he had been able to look into the fire without seeing the burning image of Shen before him.

The sake burned in his veins. It felt like he had lava flowing through him—as though he were a volcano. It hurt—burned—and felt like part of his soul was burning too. One more cup went the way of the first three.

He felt like a burst of energy was coming back. The last thing that he wanted was energy—it would keep him tossing and turning and hearing her voice in his nightmares. He had not meant to strike her—he never would have struck her. He had hated Yoshi and was ready to strike him down, but never had he wished to harm her. Even when she had chosen to marry Yoshi, he had wanted nothing more than to cherish her. When she had been rushed to the hospital to bear her child—when a junior apprentice had burst in to tell Yoshi and then abruptly classes had been canceled—he had his heart in his throat. He did not normally pray, but all his thoughts were consumed in prayer when he imagined the agony she would endure to bring the child into the world.

He had followed Yoshi to the hospital, waited in that alcohol infused, too clean place while Yoshi and Shen had been together. He had not even been told the child had been born until the next morning. Yoshi had finally been told that he was waiting and had burst into the room with a hearty shout and happy chatter. When he had finally been allowed to see Shen, she and the baby had been cleaned up and were looking angelic.

His heart had leapt to his throat again and grateful tears burned his eyes, seeing them laying together. Then the baby had fussed and she had begun opening her night gown. He sat beside her, awed at the miracle of this tiny, beautiful girl. Yoshi had been telling him about the birth and how proud he was of Shen, but Saki had not heard heard him. As she began to sit up and the buttons had drifted lower down her chest, suddenly Yoshi had cleared his throat and, with an embarrassingly easy hold, had locked Saki's wrist and drug him out of the room, laughing at him and teasing that they needed privacy. The door had slammed behind him with a crash and the nurse had glared at him, telling him to leave in a haughty tone.

He had been almost as proud of Shen as Yoshi. He had been the first one to welcome home mother and child and was bursting to take them out and show them off. He had been the first one to bring a gift—a pink ruffly dress and a large white fuzzy bear with a peculiarly long set of lashes and a purple bow around its neck. He had chosen to be close, moving around his own training and the training of his students so that he would be available to help her during the day. Yoshi had steadfastly refused to allow him to stay with them during the night and help take care of the infant, but he was always there during the day to ensure that the mother and infant had someone strong to watch over them.

He had never meant to hurt her—and by extension to hurt her daughter. And the deed haunted him. So, every year, he dismissed everyone and trained until his body burned and then drank until the burn was everywhere. Then he tried to sleep it off.

So it was considerably more than annoying when someone had knocked at his door. He had slammed down the cup and stomped over. Some ambitious underling had brought him news that the warehouse owner was trying to take the deeds and give them to someone to take them somewhere unknown. Warehouses were everywhere, but these were important because they had been built during Prohibition with a secret passage to an underground set of rooms. They were ideally placed—near the water without the high waterfront prices or the tight waterfront scrutiny.

Growling, he had dressed in his armor and stomped out. Someone had procured an unmarked panel van to bring valuables back to his headquarters. Someone else had procured a huge black vehicle of some kind for him to ride in. He had been enraged and seethed going to see the old man.

Then he had seen the girl. In retrospect, he told himself probably only the sake had made her look exactly like the dead Shen. He had felt the rage burn in him and had taken the girl. It was a mistake even looking at her. As deep as the alcohol had been burning in his system, probably the girl's grandmother would have looked like Shen and he would have still burned.

He had attacked the girl, sick of the feeling of being haunted by the dead woman. Most likely, he would have roughed her up and let her go had he not been so deeply drunk and burning like a dragon in his regret. Instead, he attacked her and then gone back to his drinking. When she was was still there the next morning, he had not slept and had continued drinking and then attacked her again.

The black black chip fell from his hand and landed on top of the white and black chips in the middle of the board. She had seen him at his absolute worst. He did not smoke or drink as a rule because it made one weak. One night a year, he indulged.

This was not what he had planned. He had honestly never intended to take a wife or a lover. He had not been interested in taking even a whore—and there had been plenty of those loitering around the city. No one had seemed to be able to take the place of the memory and frankly he had no interest in having anyone try. His master had told him to not to dwell on the past—because it made it impossible to see forward. He told his students the same things his master had taught him—drilling them until their knuckles bled and they sweated and whimpered. Male or female, he did not care and showed no preference. If you could not handle it, you were welcome to drop out. If you dropped out, then there was no point in returning.

He stared at the board, with the slick black and white chips staring up at him. He counted them absently, knowing already that there were more white than black. This was worth pursuing.

Besides, it would slaughter whatever remained of Yoshi in the rat. If it was the rat's child, then he would again have the child as his own. Or it could have an accident because he did not favor raising a rat-child. If it was his own child, then there would be no lying and manipulation—no chance that the rat could subvert his claim. Either way, if the girl was in any way precious to the freaks then he would have her as well.

There was more than one way to kill a cat and more than a thousand ways to torture a heart.

He smiled darkly. The chips were swept up with a practiced hand and sorted back into their places. Absently, he went back to the atrium and summoned Karai.

"Go to the rat and his followers. Pretend that you are willing to listen to his lies. Then I will send another to track you down and destroy their lair." Karai's eyes glistened in excitement. "But be wary. There may be another girl already there." He showed her a blown up and enhanced picture of a close up of the girl's face and then a second shot of her face and back. "The girl will be as much of a target as the freakish rat who destroyed your mother. She must be brought back here unharmed."

Karai seemed thoughtful. "Yes, Father. But why?"

"That is not yet something that should concern you. My will is that she be brought back—unharmed." He smirked at her. "I'm sure that you are clever enough to find a way to do that. She cannot be poisoned or drugged."

Karai's eyes widened and the sudden limitations and complexity. "How am I to do this?" She sighed heavily. "And what purpose would the girl serve here?"

"It will make the rat and his freakish followers suffer, my daughter." He smiled widely. "They will suffer some small bit of the keen loss that you and I share over losing your mother."

Karai smiled then, and nodded. "Are you sure that she will be with them?"

He shrugged. "With them or somewhere close by."

"Yes, Master." She gave him back the picture—it was one less thing to worry with and she could not explain having the picture should she be able to convince the turtles she was turning sides. "I will need some way to tell you that I am successfully there."

He tossed her a pre-paid phone. She eagerly flipped it on and looked through the applications. There were the typical apps—social media, one for finding restaurants, another that purported to be able to summon a taxi in any location, and a handful of popular games. She found the one that she was looking for and opened it.

"You are 'gh0stLrker028' and you will send a one star review when you are there and a two star review when you have both of them." He kept smirking. "The code word will be 'aura'." He put a hand on her slim shoulder. "Then we will begin to have revenge on those who hurt us so badly."

"Yes, Master." She took off her favorite katana and he took it from her. As peculiar as it had seemed, this was her little tradition. She would give him her favorite katana with the scabbard she had carved herself and take a generic one from the storehouse. The first time, he had asked her why and she told him that it was something to come back for. Now it was simply how things happened.

"Remember, though—she must not be harmed."

Karai disappeared then, melting into the shadows. He sent a message to one of his underlings who specifically kept watch on the reviews. Early on he had discovered that the reviews for apps were read by many, but often simply ignored. Hiding in plain sight, he could send a message that few could track since the account would be tied to a "burner" email—an anonymous email with faulty information. So, with a handful of followers that were gamers, he allowed them to develop moderately successful games and published them to the various mobile devices. It was surprisingly lucrative—an honest money stream of all things—with the side benefit of allowing one way communication back to his headquarters.

With Karai gone, he went back to his own quarters. He was by nature mostly neat and precise and his quarters pleased him. He had a large bedroom with a sitting area and the large stone fireplace, a stainless steel kitchen with a small eating area, a rather spacious full bath with a jacuzzi tub, and a spare room that he made a dojo with weapons all packed into one suite. He tended to decorate in the traditional Japanese style—favoring clean Zen lines in black or white or wood tones. On the walls were a few pieces of art—a sutra in beautiful calligraphy that hung in the kitchen, a sumi-e painting in dark ink on rice paper of a roaring tiger over the couch in his sitting area, and a surprisingly modern abstract piece in black and white and red paint over vertical ridges of folds of paper over the massive bed. In the sitting room he did have a television, mainly because he hadn't bothered to take it down rather than because he had any desire to watch what passed for entertainment here. He had a private wireless server, allowing him to do whatever research he wanted to do for himself. If he had ever felt the need to go outside, he had a private balcony that overlooked the city with a wrought iron pair of chairs and a table that he occasionally considered putting a bonsai tree on.

There were four penthouse suites in this building—one in each corner. Karai's suite was almost identical to his own and was down the hallway from his. He had ordered the original furniture when they had first established a long term base here in America, but had long since decided that the space was hers to do what she wished. That left two suites—one on his side of the building and one on hers.

He crossed the hallway to look at the bare suite. There was an identical layout, but it was utterly empty. Utilitarian shades were over the windows. The kitchen was empty—not even a single spoon. The patio had no furniture, only a few empty planters.

It galled him to think of his child being raised by the freaks. He told himself that was the sole reason that he was even considering this. Bars would be put over the windows precisely because none but a ninja would survive a fall from this height. Her kitchen would be stocked with water and a small supply fruit and crackers—things she could eat without him supplying her any sort of flatware that might be made into a shiv. Her bathroom would be stocked with a small supply of towels and the necessary paper. She could make do with a futon and some pillows to sleep on. The shower head and the curtain rods would be removed to prevent her from committing suicide. If she behaved well and obeyed him, then he would allow her more comfort.

The elevator and stairs were already locked with pass key locks. At best, if she escaped her own apartments, she could wander the hallway. His suite and Karai's had deadbolts and pass key locks to prevent casual intrusion. The various levels of training rooms, laboratories, and the quarters for the few human ninjas that were in residence at any given time were completely off limits to her. In the multi-story basement, there were a few cells that were used for those who needed to be held. It was not an ideal place for his child to be, but far cleaner and more safe than a random room in a sewer.

He gave the necessary orders for the modifications. Once someone found an appropriate futon mat, someone else would be sent out tomorrow morning to get the towels and linens and things. In short order, the apartment would be ready with what he was prepared to offer her at first. A quick search of doctors turned up a selection of five that were in Purple Dragon territory and two that were in the Italians' territory with the necessary equipment to do most of the normal procedures in their clinic rather than transferring and referring around the city. One of the Italian mafia's doctors only had admitting privileges to a hospital half-way across the city, so he was dropped. Three of the doctors from Dragon territory had privileges to the hospital right down the street and were on the short list. One of them was already paying protection money and seemed to have the necessary qualifications.

He stretched loosely, dropping his tablet down on the counter of his kitchen. An underling generally came in once a week and stocked the penthouse kitchens with various stuff—bottled water, fresh fruit, dark Swiss chocolate (for Karai), peanut butter (also for Karai), packages of dried noodles, eggs, a variety of frozen and cut up vegetables, and a few condiments. They had access to the kitchens downstairs where the underlings had taken over what was to be a cafe and served three meals a day, but quite often he preferred to make something simple for himself—noodles with vegetables and eggs or once in a great while a burrito with chicken. He hadn't quite gotten out of the habit of doing for himself as he had when he was a student in training.

It was safer too.

As he waited for his meal to finish cooking, he picked up the tablet again and began researching what was considered nutritious for a young mother. It was unsurprising—vegetables prepared simply, lean protein, minimal processed sugar. If the mother was able to handle it, weekly servings of fish were recommended, but the article did admit that occasionally mothers could not handle the scent. Orange juice was recommended with such regularity he spitefully wondered if he should require everyone to drink it.

He wondered if Yoshi had done this same thing and scowled at the thought. Putting down the tablet, he served himself from the pan and sat down on the kitchen bar stools to eat. It was a treat to be able to eat calmly and without rushing and without having to manage conference calling to Japan or Milan or Russia. The suite was equipped with a dishwasher, but he rarely used it since he had no more than a bowl or plate and a pair of chopsticks to wash.

He went back to his own bedroom and sat down to meditate. He was not a young buck anymore—not after fifteen years of raising Karai. His right eye was injured, but fortunately his helmet tended to cover that little problem up. The right side of his face was scarred from the fire at the Hamato dojo and when he sweated heavily, the trickles of saltwater would irritate them. Some of the scars were highly sensitive—he practically could feel the dust settle on his skin—and some had no feeling at all. His right hand had a few light scars, but both hands were ridged with callouses from his daily weapon use. His shoulders and shins and forearms had red ridges from his armor, but those would disappear by morning. His chest was still the deep barrel from his youth, but seemed to become leaner in the recent years.

What about the child? Would he be able to handle the diapers and endless fiddling that babies seemed to require. Of course, he had amazing dexterity, but for the first time he debated that he would be starting over with a newborn. There would be teething, colic, first steps. He wasn't sure about starting over with pacifiers. It would be imperative that the girl be persuaded to take care of the child. That was the simplest solution. She would be able to handle the late nights and so forth.

He smirked mirthlessly. He had not hoped in a long time, but he hoped she was strong enough to handle the birth and to raise the child. Raise it as he wished, of course.


	10. Chapter 9

Splinter watched as the turtles dove into the pizzas that April and Donatello had brought back. May had her salad and some breadsticks. April had been kind enough to get her some orange juice—he remembered Tang Shen having to drink an enormous amount of the stuff and having to run out at midnight because she was craving it. She'd also end up craving bizarre foods—grapes and apples one night and then kimchi the next. In contrast, May never admitted to having cravings. She had them, her eyes glistening as she listened to April talk about eating dinner with Kirby or her stomach rumbling as a commercial played on the television, but she made do with what she had. There was something profoundly pragmatic about her—she accepted the situation as it was and tried to work with it. It made her a very peaceful presence in the lair.

And it was rubbing off on the turtles. Raphael still was moody, but was slowly coming to terms with it since May was a safe harbor for him to shout and let off steam. Leonardo was a more relaxed leader and more willing to improvise than to follow strict dogma. Michelangelo would forever be the boisterous one in the crowd, but he was calmer and more able to relax. Donatello was still the studious one who buried himself in the lab, but having her to help do whatever it was she did seemed to bring him out more. Surprisingly, even April was more focused and able to concentrate.

He tried to remember all of the things that Tang Shen had told him about pregnancy. She had read every book and every magazine she could get her hands on and could tell him at length how things should affect her. Shen had even put together a binder of articles mixed with doctor's reports, hand written notes, photographs, and sonogram pictures in a haphazard scrapbook style. He supposed that he had not been there for her as much as he could have—there was always one more mission, one more student to train or one more dispute to resolve. He had been gone often—the heir to the Hamato clan led a busy life. Peculiarly, he had been glad to have Saki so close at hand. Saki had been absolutely possessive of Shen, guarding her pregnancy like he was guarding the Japanese Emperor. There was much that they could tease and laugh about, but he never joked about Shen's pregnancy. It was a comfort to know, as he prowled through the shadowed night streets, that Saki was there guarding her.

When Miwa had finally been born, he had been teaching a group of eager, young students. One of the students from the previous session had burst in. The students tittered as the poor man gasped for breath and trying to wheeze out that Shen had sent him. He had run from the other end of the compound where Shen was spending her days gardening and tending their master's collection of bonsai.

Saki's face had clouded over like a thunder storm when the man burst in. Snapping at the students, he ordered them to begin doing punching and blocking drills. The students were all flinching as Saki took over the class. Yoshi had bowed out, grabbed a paper cup of water and took it to the gasping man.

The man wheezed and gasped that Shen had begun her labor. She had called a cab and, seeing the student walking and sent him to bring Master Yoshi to the hospital. Yoshi shook his head with amusement—it was so like Shen to simply go off and take are of herself. With a smile, he let the man sit while he looked for the hand lettered sign that Shen had prepared weeks ago. Yoshi pulled out the sign—"Classes are canceled for today because of a family issue. Please call to leave a message or to get updates."—and put it in the window. With a smile, he had waved to the class and gone to his car. He had controlled himself long enough to not squeal the tires in the parking lot, but he had not been so lucky—or so calm—in downtown traffic.

Shen had checked herself in and was in a room, rocking in a chair. The doctor had checked her out and told her to make herself comfortable, so she had changed into a loose muumuu style nightgown and begun rocking. He had been relieved and couldn't stop wiping his sweaty palms on his pants. She had clucked her tongue at him and gestured towards the tiny hospital bathroom. He showered quickly and changed into the spare clothes that Shen had packed in her suitcase.

His mind had boggled as Shen began her labor. It humbled and terrified him how much pain she was willing to endure to bring the new life into the world. He had held her hand, brought her ice chips, massaged her shoulders and back and walked what felt like a thousand miles. Then, Miwa had been born. He had fallen in love with Shen all over again, but it was truly love at first sight seeing the red, crying face of the baby girl. Shen had been covered in sweat, her body and mind worn out, but she had eagerly reached for the baby.

It felt like a hundred years had passed and he had all but collapsed on the chair. The nurse that had been with them for hours came in with fresh glasses of ice water and a frown, telling them that an angry young man had been waiting for a hours and been insisting on trying to get into the room.

Yoshi had laughed with relief. Shen had glared at him, asking the nurse to help her get into a fresh gown. Shen muttered darkly about not ever having any peace and quiet as Yoshi laughed and went out to Saki. Saki had dark circles under his eyes and looked like he had been chewing on a particularly rusty set of nails. It was so like him—he had obviously sat up all night—that Yoshi had felt sorry for him and, after a few minutes of trying to be cordial (and giving Shen time to get dressed) he had let him in, hoping against hope that seeing Shen and the baby would give the poor man some relief.

Saki had shoved past him to enter. Shen was again laying down, cradling Miwa. For a moment, the nurse had glared at all of them and then sniffed that she had other people to attend. Yoshi flopped in the chair again, suddenly feeling a hundred years old and like he had been awake for every moment. Saki had glared at him gruffly and pulled up the rocking chair beside the bed. Yoshi had leaned his head back and closed his eyes for just a moment. Then, he head aching and his muscles sore, he had looked at the other man.

It had been like watching a holy man. Saki's sharp features had relaxed until he appeared almost entirely tranquil. His eyes had eagerly devoured the sight of Shen holding the baby like a man on pilgrimage might devour the sight of the relic he had traveled so far to see. He had been coiled like a striking viper in the waiting room, but he had utterly transformed. It had been like watching a man reach Nirvana after a lifetime of effort.

Then Miwa had begun her insistent cry and Shen had begun to unfasten the gumdrop shaped buttons down the front. She had been convinced from the first that she had wanted to nurse and all of her maternity wear either unbuttoned or stretched so that she could do it easier.

Suddenly, he had wanted Shen all to himself. He had debated speaking softly, but in the end, he had grabbed his friend's hand and twisted it to lock his wrist. In any other circumstance, his friend would have whirled around and kicked him or something, but in this case, he only looked up at Yoshi with a pained expression that resembled the heartbreak of a pilgrim seeing his sought-after shrine blown to bits. Yoshi had led him out, closing the door behind him. She had grinned at him, scolding him that he needn't be so rude. He had grinned back, utterly exhausted and defeated. Instead, he had told her that he would apologize and make it up to Saki. He had not told her that he wanted her—them—all to himself.

Splinter smiled to himself at the bittersweet memories. May was pragmatic and practical to a fault, much like Shen had been. He supposed that women were fortunate with such a matter-of-fact streak. Or perhaps it was pregnancy that developed it. Either way, it was a blessing with the harsh life that they were living.

May brought him a cup of tea. "Is anything wrong, Master?"

"No, May. Just reflecting over memories," Splinter replied.

"I see," was all she said. She picked up a stray napkin. "I think that Donatello wants to take a look at me again to make sure that I'm not too bruised up."

"A wise decision," Splinter agreed.

"I'll go ask him if he has time now," May replied, getting up.

Donatello was not busy and took her back into the lab. With a laugh, she saw that every surface was covered with papers and diagrams. He flushed and began fumbling, picking up piles and moving them.

"I suppose that we should keep track of my pregnancy a little better so that I can have a table to deliver on," she teased.

Donatello flushed darkly and then seemed to shiver. "Umm...well... the delivery..." He gave her a nervous laugh and a smile. "I...umm... Are you sure you want to deliver here?" He scratched the back of his head. "I mean...don't you need a hospital? Just in case?"

She reached over and patted his hand. "If we decide that I need one, I'll go."

Donnie smiled and nodded. "OK. Well...let's do the basics." He began to listen to her heart and lungs, gently pressed on her stomach to see if there was pain, and checked her over as best he could. He measured her stomach with a tape measure from her navel to her back and then had her measure her bust. Then, ever so gently, he began touching her and feeling the hot skin and squishy flesh of the bruises. May squirmed, but obediently answered his questions about the injuries.

"Well," he said finally. "As far as I can tell, you are fine. Bruised and a bit battered, but otherwise fine." He smiled nervously at her. "Do you have any questions?"

May flushed darkly. "Umm...I have some questions, but I don't know who to ask."

Donatello laughed. "I guess that makes two of us." He leaned against a stack of boxes. "What are your questions?"

May turned an even darker shade of red. "Please...don't tell Master Splinter. I think that I'd die if he found out..." Donatello cocked his head at her, curious. "Umm...I've been reading those emails and several of them have talked about how the...f-father is supposed to contribute." She couldn't meet the turtle's eyes. "I mean...Master Splinter is truly amazing, but I worry."

"About what?"

"What kind of person is Shredder?"

Donatello felt his jaw drop. "What do you mean?"

May groaned in agonized embarrassment. "Is this child going to be...a monster?" Donatello couldn't even blink. "Is he—or she—going to be some kind of vicious, vengeful person? Is there anything that can be done about it?"

Donatello couldn't believe his ears, but May was staring at him earnestly. Confused, he was glad someone had finally voiced the question. Unfortunately, it was the very person who needed to be calm and quiet and in his non-expert opinion, should be the last person to ask. He sighed heavily. "I don't know." He shrugged helplessly. "I've only ever seen him when we've been on the battlefield."

May gulped heavily. "I see."

Donatello took her hands in his, marveling at how slender and soft they were by comparison. "I really, truly think that you should ask Master Splinter that question and think about what he says." He swallowed the knot in his throat. "I don't know, but I truly think that you and Master Splinter can have a wonderful little boy."

May felt the tears sliding down her cheeks and nodded silently. "I've been afraid to ask," she slowly admitted. "I don't want to upset him." She shrugged as well. "But I don't want to give birth to a monster either."

Donnie thought for a moment. "Let's call Leo in. He's the guy who would have a strategy for this if you don't want to ask Father..."

She smiled sadly and shook her head slowly. "I guess I should just ask Master Splinter."

Donnie nodded in agreement. "I think that's best." He looked around at the lab. "I guess since he's been through this, we should ask him what we need."

May giggled and Donnie looked at the woman strangely. "What's funny about asking Splinter?"

May giggled again and gestured towards the computer. She logged on to his computer and showed him an email.

Donnie began reading. "The father should feel welcomed by your doctor and he should be encouraged to ask questions. Very often the fathers want to go with you, so be sure to try to make the important appointments work with his schedule.

"Don't forget that the father needs to feel like a part of the pregnancy. He may feel like he is on the outside looking in. He may feel helpless or useless, and will need to feel like he is helping you in this journey."

May burst out laughing. Donatello giggled and gestured for her to calm down. "Remember that there is plenty that he can do in order to feel like he is part of this pregnancy. Suggestions include helping you exercise or helping you stretch, massaging your aches, helping you keep track of your appointments. Don't forget to be sure to pack him a change of clothes for the hospital or birthing center visit so that he will not have to leave you to get cleaned up."

Donatello laughed out loud. "And women read this?"

May flushed. "Well...at least for the first pregnancy. I mean...it's not like we can just ask anyone on the street to be with us while we are delivering!"

Donatello nodded, still grinning. "So does madame want her husband to attend her examinations?"

She grinned. "I suppose I can either die of embarrassment now or die of embarrassment when I have to ask him because I am scared and about to do something stupid."

Donnie bowed, still giggling. "I'll go get him." He squeezed her shoulder. "And don't worry—we'll get this figured out."

Splinter looked over as Donatello approached. "Master, could you please come with me?"

Splinter stood and walked to the lab. May was sitting in the one empty chair and Donnie resumed his position by the boxes.

"Is anything wrong, May?"

May shook her head. "Nothing's wrong. But we thought that we would ask you some questions..." Splinter raised an eyebrow. "Could you tell us what we need for the...delivery?"

Splinter grimaced. "I see."

Donatello giggled. "It's supposed to help you feel like you're a part of the pregnancy and that you're supporting her." Bursting into laughter, he held up his hands. "It's in her wellness emails that you are supposed to be present for some of her examinations so that you can ask questions."

Splinter chuffed out a laugh. "Really?" He sighed patiently. "Are you prepared to deliver the child here?"

Suddenly Donatello stopped laughing and flushed. "Uhh..."

"I thought so," Splinter said. "So what do you think that we'll need?"

"Uhh...boiling water?"

Splinter rolled his eyes. "The boiling water is to sterilize the instruments. I'd suggest a supply of clean cloths, some antiseptic wash, a pair of sterilized forceps and scissors, some string and plenty of blankets." He paused. "I would think that a supply of a sports drink and calcium supplements as well as some vitamins would be needed." He looked at his son with a smirk. "Is there anything else that you would recommend?"

Donnie bowed low. "I can get all of that."

Splinter nodded and May couldn't help but but chuckle again. Then Splinter turned to her with a stern expression. "And you, May. Do you feel like I am supporting you in your pregnancy?"

She straightened and flushed. "Of course, Master Splinter."

"Good," he replied. "Was there anything else? Are you hurt?"

Donatello straightened and looked at her. "She has a few bruises, but nothing appears to be broken or severe."

Splinter finally smiled. "That is good news." He put a hand on her shoulder. "Was there anything else?"

She flushed and glanced at Donatello. "Umm... I have a few questions. But..."

"Ask your questions."

Donatello patted her shoulder and she flushed. "Master...I do not want to offend you, but... Could you please...tell me what kind of person he was?" A nervous chuckle escaped and she bit her lip and whispered. "I don't want to give birth to a monster..."

Splinter sighed sadly. "Your child will not be a monster." He reached down to take her hands. "You have a good soul. You are kind and patient and work hard. Your child will undoubtedly be the same." He smirked. "I will be there to help you as well." He gestured to the door. "Let us walk and we will talk."

Donatello interjected. "Umm...we were going to start the bolt hole construction today. I don't think that a bunch of old dust and mold would be a good thing, so maybe...?"

Splinter nodded as he drew May to his side and tucked her hand in his arm. "We will go walking outside of the lair."

May followed him willingly as Donatello got all of the turtles up and ready to do demolition. They had decided that they would go through the old doorway and then they could work on both the inside and the outside of the room to make the new door. Raphael was excited about anything that involved destruction. Mikey was excited about the new room and determined to make it a cozy nursery.

Splinter walked May around in silence for a while. Then with a heavy sigh, he said, "You have asked a most difficult question."

May swallowed and felt herself pale. "I didn't mean to upset you or anything." She rubbed her hand over her stomach. "I am...just really scared."

"I know," Splinter admitted. "And you have more reason than many to worry." They walked a while further and he continued. "But if you consider the tiny acorn, I think you will find your answer." May smiled uncertainly and looked up at him. "The acorn landing on rocks will not grow. The acorn landing in sand or by the side of the road will grow into a weak and sickly thing. But the acorn that lands in soil that is fertile and welcoming will grow strong and sturdy. The tree is strong and mighty and may cast the seed to the winds, but it is the nurturing soil that makes it grow."

May walked with Splinter in thoughtful silence, picturing a twisted and sickly oak by the side of the road and then a healthy oak tree.

Suddenly Splinter sniffed and chuckled. "We are near Little Tokyo."

May smiled in bemusement and then sniffed deeply. "Mmmm... Ginger and soy. Someone is having dim sum tonight."

Splinter helped her to cross to the walkway on the other side and then walked around a corner. "Sniff here."

May closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "It is...amazing. Is it cherry trees? But it can't be—they would have bloomed weeks ago..."

"These are flowering pear trees. We are near a public garden. If we were to go a few blocks further, then we would be almost underneath the cherry trees." He cocked his head curiously. "And there are flower beds surrounding the garden—even some oniyuri." He chuckled sadly. "When I was a man, I enjoyed walking through the gardens, but I did not take the time to really appreciate them."

"Hmm," May sighed, leaning against his shoulder. "I'll bet this is what heaven smells like." She coughed. "Well...maybe with less ammonia..."

"This winter, there will be a lunar New Year festival. The fireworks can be seen for miles and if you stand under that grate there—" He pointed a few feet down where the shadows of busy people could be seen flitting back and forth. A piece of litter was kicked into the drain. "—you can see them as they burst."

May and Splinter wandered around the sewers, more often silent than not. When they did speak, it was some casual matter—whether they could see the bon dances on television, what should be fixed for dinner, whether or not the child should address the turtles as brothers or as uncles given the age difference, and whether or not it was possible to grow lettuce and tomatoes under a light here in the tunnels.

The T-phone rang out merrily and Splinter took it out. Grunting, he showed it to May. The turtles had finished digging out the doorway and decided to go get more pizza before returning. May smirked and made a pithy remark about them turning into pizzas. Then the next text came in: "Karai wants to see you."

Splinter gasped and seemed frozen to the spot. May stiffened and watched him. He looked up at her with a wistful or regretful air. "I—"

May nodded and interrupted. "Of course you want to see her. We need to head back." As they began walking back, she continued. "If it is all right with you, I will be in the new room. That way you will have your room to yourselves."

Splinter frowned and stopped long enough to fiddle with the keys to his phone. "We must hurry if you are to be hidden."

They barely made it back with enough time for May to grab her blanket, a few books and a pillow. Splinter slung the silk quilt around her shoulders and piled some granola bars and a bottle of water on her bundle. "It is too unique and may draw attention you do not want."

She nodded and scampered around the corner to the newly excavated doorway. It was dusty and cramped, but it was large enough to lay down and she could read since Donnie had left a work light plugged in. She spread the blanket out and draped a corner over the work light which was far too brilliant for a reading lamp.

When she heard voices calling, she turned off the light. Now that she knew them a little better, she knew that Raphael let Mikey talk more to give whoever might be at the lair warning that they were coming. The voices grew louder and more distinct and then muffled as they turned away from her and went into the lair.

She waited for a while, listening to the muffled voices of the turtles. Raphael raised his voice a bit, then it died down. Mikey kept a constant level of chatter. May nudged the door gently, glad to see that Donatello had oiled the hinges. It was strange to think that someone perhaps had worked here, doing paperwork and typing on a computer. There was absolutely no furniture and the only sign that there had ever been anything were a few strips running from the ceiling down to the middle of the wall for shelf brackets to be put in and a few holes from pictures or bulletin boards or white boards.

She grew drowsy and finally curled up for a nap, sliding the door closed as quietly as she could. The room was blessedly silent and comforting in its darkness. She yawned as she put her head down on the pillow. It sighed out a breath of some salty, spicy scent that reminded her of Splinter.

It was very surprising when she opened her eyes for just a moment and saw a very grouchy Raphael in front of her. She started and jerked up and he put his hand gently over her mouth and put a finger in front his mouth. She nodded, her eyes wide as she tried to make out more than a faint outline in the dim light behind him.

Silently, he pulled out his sheathed sais. Her eyes widened and she looked back up at him in alarm. He cocked his head and silently drew them. Then with a cocky grin he tipped the sheaths out.

Two mangled, but intact, tea bags and a bag of peanuts fell out to the floor. He opened a hidden pocket in his belt and pulled out a cube of vegetable bouillon and then a second bottled water.

He shrugged and then leaned close to her to whisper. "It's all I could bring with me. Knucklehead Leo was busy making goo-goo eyes at Karai—"

May nodded and took his hand. "Thank you... this is wonderful." Gently, she put a kiss on his cheek.

Raph grunted. "Can you stay put for a while? Karai is determined to spend time with Splinter."

She smiled. "I'll be fine here. You all did wonderfully to get this done."

He grunted again and grumbled softly. "I'm supposed to be somewhere blowing off steam. Donnie is supposed to be getting Mikey involved in a Battle Brawl championship so that he doesn't blow your cover." He growled. "Mikey just talks too much."

May scrunched around him and began to knead what she could reach of his shoulders. Trying as much as she could she loosened his muscles. "Just relax Raphael. You are going to have a heart attack if you don't relax some time."

Raph grunted. "I guess." He sighed and rolled his shoulders. "Can you do that thing..." He sighed in relief. "Yeah...just under the shell..." He sighed again. "Oh heck yeah." He cracked a smile. "So you know that it was my night tonight?"

"Are you sure?" she asked ruefully. "I seem to think that it was Mikey's." She shrugged a little. "But yeah, you so need to. Just. Relax." She began rubbing down his arm.

"You don't happen to have a sister, do you?" Raphael sighed as she loosened up his bicep.

May chuckled a little. She slid the door closed and turned on the work light. She draped another layer of the blanket over the light and it was very dim. "No. I'm sorry—there's no sisters." She sighed a little. "There's just me."

He rolled her head as she began to massage his wrist and hand. "You are so..."

She chuckled and continued. Then she began to work on his other shoulder. "I guess you'll just have to make do."

He grinned at her. "I wish that I could just stay here."

"Yeah, well, you'd better get back before someone wonders where you've gone."

"Yeah, I guess." He frowned. "So how long are you going to hide here?"

"I don't know," she said. "How long is she going to be with Splinter?"

Raph shook his head. "I don't know." He took her hand in his. "We'll ask her what she's planning tomorrow. If she's still gonna turn on Shredder, then she'll be around for a while."

May nodded. "We'll see what happens next. I'm going to read for a while and then go back to sleep."

Raph nodded. "OK. I'm going to head back and see if we can keep Mikey from blabbing. I swear...he'd go up and tell Shredder everything if he could."

"Get some sleep, Raph,"

"Okay. You too." He stood up reluctantly. "Any words for Master Splinter? He couldn't say anything, but I think that he was worried."

"Yeah...I'm fine. I'm going to read and maybe get some sleep." She looked up at him. "Maybe I can go to April's if it goes on too long."

"Uhh...about that," Raph grimaced. "Kirby is starting to heat up."

She flushed. "Yeah...April said that an unwed mother was not high on the list of acceptable friends for April."

"So can't you, like, get married?"

She smiled. "We'll see what happens." She plumped up her pillow. "Good night, Raph." Taking a deep breath, she turned out the light. The momentary darkness was complete and she could see absolutely nothing.

Raph slid open the door. Donnie had oiled it, but it wasn't supposed to be a long term solution. He'd have to bring some more. At least he was thinking about May, even if no one else was.

He wandered out and went up to the surface. He stood on a rooftop in Little Tokyo, watching the last few people wander home. One lady with dark black hair was carrying some shopping bags, hurrying home. He smiled at her. A small child in a jacket and shorts with green Crocs came running up to her. The child smiled up at her, asking for something and the woman stopped to take something out of her heavy bags. The child jumped around and stuck it in his mouth and then began to run around and down the street. He smiled, watching the woman leisurely catch up and disappear around a corner.

He smiled softly, sitting in the shadows. For some reason, he kept watching, hoping to see them come back. Is that what May would look like when her child would want something? Would he want some tiny toy like Donatello? Would he want a sweet like Michelangelo? Or would he want a magazine? Or maybe it would be a girl? Would she want red ribbon for her hair? Some kind of jewelry—a bracelet? He remembered that April would periodically sigh about some piece of jewelry in a magazine.

What would Master Splinter do with a little girl? Would he cuddle her? Would she be in a pink dress? He liked pink dresses and white dresses on little girls. Once he had seen an adorable girl in a white, fluffy dress with red dots and a red satin sash. She had been lost on the street, crying for her mom. He had started down the fire escape to help her, but her mother had come from around the corner, rushing to go pick the girl up. The father came out, laden with a huge, wrapped gift, rushing to see what was wrong. He gave the gift to the mother and picked her up, swinging her around in the air as she giggled.

He sighed heavily, sliding back down to the sewers. Karai was standing in the entrance to the lair. She grinned at him, putting aside her phone. "Hey there, Raphael."

"What are you doing?"

"Just playing a game." She waved the phone at him. He glanced at the screen, seeing Candy Castle on the screen. "It's a thing. I can't sleep well the first night in a new place."

Raphael grunted again, rolling his shoulders. Going past her, he went to his bedroom. She called in a sultry voice, "Good night." He frowned and kept going, just waving.

She smiled at his departing figure. It had not been necessary to follow the turtle, not when she had the other three and the rat. She shuddered in distaste. The other three were teenagers, easily lead into arguing amongst themselves, so she had stayed close to the rat.

It was...soothing, though. The rat had not been rude or crude or gross. Instead he had been formal and polite to her. He had shown her a picture that he said was her mother—the first she had ever seen aside from the torn half she had. He had answered some of her questions so firmly that if she hadn't been told that they were lies, she would have been fooled completely.

She played the next level absently, settling on the couch. She picked up a pillow and fluffed it, sniffing deeply. There was not anything out here that seemed to point to a female presence—no feminine clothes, no perfume or flowery products. The turtles seemed to be a bunch of teenage boys—annoying boys.

Touching the screen, she flipped to the review screen. She began typing. "Lame game. I don't know what everyone is so excited about. There's so many other games out there that have a better play than this one. I'm just giving it 1 star because it's not possible to give it 0." Frowning, she turned it off—there was no signal down here anyway.

The next morning, she woke up to find Splinter fussing in the kitchen area. He frowned and pulled out a cup and set the kettle on the burner.

"Good morning, Master Splinter," she chirped. "Is that tea?"

He nodded and pulled out the second cup. She accepted the tea and sat down with him. "So are there any others down here?"

He looked at her and shook his head. "We have some who travel through." He smirked. "For being a deserted area underneath the city, it is amazing how many come through."

"I see," she nodded slowly.

Splinter watched his sons wander in. "We will begin training this morning with grappling and throws." His sons looked up at him with a slight sadness in their eyes and then went to the dojo. "Let us begin." He looked at them sternly. "And we shall see that we behave in our dojo or we will be doing plenty of extra push-ups. Am I understood?"

"Yes, Master Splinter," they all said, bowing.

Karai went through the exercises. They were soothing in that they were familiar. Her father was far more ruthless—constantly shouting for her to improve her form—than the rat who simply walked among them silently. If they failed, he would sweep them off their feet and they were expected to get up and keep going.

They broke up and it seemed like one or two of them were disappointed when they came out into the empty room. Mikey sighed sadly and put his hand on the back of a stool at the table. She smiled at him—the slow, amazing smile that usually got her way with boys. "Is something wrong, Michelangelo?"

He hung his head. "I guess not." He looked at her. "Do you cook?"

She laughed. "Me? Nope. I'm hopeless." She flushed a little. "I can burn water." She shrugged and rolled her hips with a smile. "I never had to learn. But maybe you can...teach me?" Mikey smiled at her sadly and started to turn away. Cocking a smile at him, she pulled some cash out of her pocket. "What about some..." She looked away slightly and saw a bunch of pizza boxes. "Pizza?"

Mikey smiled at her a little more. "Yeah...maybe."

Leonardo approached her with a smile. "Sorry...he's a little moody too." He smiled at her. "I would love to get pizzas with you."

The turtles were happy enough to eat the pizza, but Splinter claimed that he wasn't hungry. Karai nibbled her mushroom and sausage pizza slice with wide eyed curiosity. Mikey at a few pieces, but the others ate only one each.

After lunch, everyone went to the television. "So what happens next, Master Splinter?"

Splinter took a sip of tea. "Usually I allow them to relax until the evening. Then they are rested for the night."

She smiled solemnly. "So...is everyone usually this upbeat?"

Splinter frowned at them. "They are...unsettled. But it will pass. It is not often they are able to entertain."

"Oh? I would have sworn that they mentioned having people down here."

"That would be Donatello's friend April and Raphael's...err...friend, Casey."

She smirked. "So what have you been doing for so many years?"

Splinter looked at her in her eyes and for a moment, she was lost in them. Shredder tended to glance around, always alert. But Splinter seemed somehow so at ease that he actually put her at ease. She swallowed in a short breath of air as she swallowed the alien feeling of lowering her guard.

"I have spent much of my time teaching my sons, the turtles, the Hamato-do style. I hope that I have taught them not to make the same mistakes that I did." He took another long sip of tea. "I have spent a great deal of time wishing that I still had you and wondering what you would be doing had we been together." He nodded his head to her solemnly. "It comforted me to think that—when I couldn't find you after the fire, perhaps you had been picked up by one of the other students. I did not like admitting that you had perished in the fire."

Karai swallowed heavily. "Why did you come to New York? Why didn't you stay in Japan?"

"Shen had left instructions that if she...died, that I was to honor her lifelong wish to come to America. After the dojo burned down, there was nothing left. It would have taken immense time and resources to rebuild, and...I could not do it. I had lost everything and I knew that if anyone knew I had survived, I would be hunted like a mad dog. At the time, it seemed like it would be better for me to start fresh. The trip was expensive. There was a craze at the time and it seemed like I would be able to start a new school. I sold the land from the school in Japan—"

"Shredder bought it," Karai answered suddenly. "He built the Foot new headquarters there." She thought deeply. "There is a shrine for my mother in one corner beside a fountain with a cherry tree and a bench. I would sit there at night, wondering what my mother was like and if she would like me..."

"She adored you from the moment you were born."

She smiled, feeling her stomach turn. She reminded herself sternly that this was an elaborate set of lies as she sipped the tea.

"So I began again. I worked near the docks, through Little Tokyo doing whatever I could. For a time I lived with a distant relative of Shen's. It was months before I had enough to afford an apartment, let alone a dojo. So I decided that I would begin to save money to return to Japan." Splinter smiled. "I was going to save enough to return and then begin my search for you so I could properly honor your short life since I was convinced that you had perished in the fire. My company was looking for people to work in the Tokyo office and, to celebrate their acceptance of my application, I went to get four tiny turtles for good luck." He shrugged eloquently. "Fate, it appears, did not approve of my plans."

Karai nodded slowly. She took a deep breath. If only Splinter were really her father. All of the skinned knees and bruises and broken bones, all of the times that she wept because she had not pleased her father and he left her alone on the mats of the dojo, and everything would have been better. She would have had family out there who cherished her all the time and not only when she had furthered the Foot missions. She would not have spent all the time in her room, cradling a sharpened knife and wondering if she cut her wrist if the bad in her blood would finally flow out of her and them maybe only the good would be left and someone would love her.

She swallowed back the tears. "Has there been...anyone else?"

"I loved your mother," Splinter said, looking at her shrewdly. "I love her still, just as I have always loved my daughter."

She nodded a little. "It's just been a long time. I didn't know if maybe you had...found someone again."

"What are you asking, little one?"

"I'm just curious." She sipped some tea. "Many try to find...companionship again." He smirked and said nothing. "I had...assumed that, well... It's been so long."

He smirked. "I think that you will find that for some things, there is no timeline."

She nodded, swallowing heavily. Suddenly, Leonardo began shouting and she looked at them with wide eyes. Her father would have never allowed such chaos in the dojo. He would have never allowed his students to argue about anything, let alone something as insignificant as a video game. Michelangelo began shouting back and suddenly Raphael leapt on to Mikey. Donatello watched in relatively shocked surprise and with a gadget in his hands.

"Turtles!" Splinter snapped and just as suddenly, they looked at him with a mix of anger and grudging respect from their various positions of combat. "You are misbehaving. Go to the dojo and each of you do twenty-five backflips." Raphael smacked Michelangelo one more time, and Splinter snapped, "Thirty, Raphael."

He watched with exasperation as the turtles filed past. Karai was just watching as they went past, her eyes wide and then suddenly shy as Raphael shot her a furious look. Splinter sighed, his ears twitching as he heard the rhythmic pounding of the backflips.

She wanted to join them, to be a part of the group. It was safer to be part of the group—to not stand out. But she also wanted to stay here—to pretend for a while longer that she had a loving father figure. She looked at him through her lashes. She had only her torn picture of her mother. His was a black and white portrait with some funky lens, but it was still...her mother. She shook herself mentally. Of course, it could be anything—even her father had warned her about the shrewd lies that this opponent possessed.

Splinter tried to be patient as she studied him. May was so focused on her chores and her books that she seemed to rarely simply sit. Of course, when she was in her books, she did not seem to even move. He had to simply be patient—to let Karai get used to him.

The turtles silently slunk out, rubbing their shoulders and arms. He shot them a meaningful glare and they wandered to their bedrooms.

Splinter finally stood up and went to wash his cup. He paused, considering the cup in his hand and the thin trickle of water running over it. He had become spoiled by May's shy attention—she would take the cup and wash it for him. He smiled wryly—this was an object lesson in appreciating her and he should learn this lesson with humility.

"So do they sleep?"

Splinter nodded. "Until it is time for them to go above."

"And do you go with them?"

"Only if I must." He sighed. "I'm afraid that I do not lead a particularly exciting life."

She smiled. "Okay. I'll just crash out on the couch." She sauntered over and took out her phone to play with.

Splinter nodded and went back to his room. He knelt down, looking at the blanket on the floor with its singular pillow. For a moment, he wished she was here. Karai was so conflicted, so at war with what he was telling her and what she thought she knew. It was only a matter of time before she had to choose what she would believe and all he had was the truth.

He felt his fists ball up on his lap. He had so little to give her compared to what the Shredder could give her. He could offer her shelter only for a while. He had no comforts to offer her. He couldn't even offer her a proper meal like she was undoubtedly used to. Had the dojo survived, she would have been the treasure of the Hamato clan, but now...

He took a deep breath, releasing his fists. He could offer her the truth. He had a family—four brothers who would grow to love her and be good to her. He took another cleansing breath. Without the Shredder, he could offer her a life without fear. She could go to college, become what she dreamed.

He sighed heavily. He had to believe that there would be a way.

Karai sighed heavily on the couch. This was getting her nowhere. Her father would not be patient much longer. She was bored out of her mind and this had to be the most pointless mission ever.

Leonardo emerged from his room quietly, watching Karai play on her phone. A fellow Candy Castle fan, he smiled and went over to her. "Hey... How are you doing?"

"Bored," she snapped. "Don't you guys do anything?"

"Sure—we'll go on patrol tonight. You're welcome to join us." Leo looked down at his hands for a moment. "Why don't you come? It'll be fun."

Karai sighed and closed her phone. "Umm...I don't know. I might not exactly be the most inconspicuous person."

"Tell us about it," he smiled. "We're not exactly able to blend."

She giggled. "I suppose."

"Um, I hope that you'll give Master Splinter a chance." Leo sighed. "He really... He really loves you." He gently patted her hand. "He may not show it, but he's so happy to have you back."

She smiled at him. "I'll...try."

Leo nodded. "Um... I'm not really tired. If you want some privacy, you can use my room."

She smiled at him. "Won't that mean that you're...out of space?"

He smiled and patted the couch. "Not really. I've fallen asleep out here more times then I can count."

She shrugged. "Okay. I'll catch a nap." She went to the room and closed the door. Leo puffed out a breath as she left. He waited restlessly for a half hour to pass then scooped up some instant soup packets and a big bottle of water and some nuts into a pile on the table. He waited for another half hour and then grabbed the stuff and then slipped out.

May was restlessly flipping through one of her books, wrapped in her blankets when he arrived. She looked up at him and smiled. Standing up and dusting off, she began to pick up when Leo just shook his head and knelt.

"She's still there. But we're going to take her out tonight—"

Karai's voice snapped behind him. "So you're hiding a girl?!"

May stumbled back in shock and fell as she saw the other's woman saunter in. "Leonardo?"

Leo froze in shock and cringed. "Karai? Uhh..."

Karai looked at him with ice and acid in her eyes. "So is this like your girlfriend or what?"

Leo smacked his head. "NO!"

May shook a little, trying to stand up again as Karai studied her. "I..."

Leo hung his head and shook his head. "Let's get you back to the lair, May." He looked up at Karai. "Look, we'll explain when we get there."

Karai smiled cooly. "As you wish." She smirked. "I can't wait to hear this explanation."

Leo was shamefaced as he led them back. Karai followed May, smirking. Splinter was sitting in the common room, as though he was waiting for them.

"So...what exactly is the explanation?" Karai asked. "I am all ears."

Splinter sighed sadly as May hung her head. Leo frowned and led May to the couch and sat her down. May didn't even look at him, gesturing nervously towards Karai.

Leo cleared his throat. "We found her—well, Mikey found her. And we decided to help her out—give her some time to heal up and settled."

Karai walked over and looked at May's face closely with a smile. "Heal up, huh?" She reached over to May and flicked a lock of hair out of her face. "So what are you healing up from?" May squeezed her eyes closed for a moment, picturing a beautiful oak tree in a field of tigerlilies. Then she looked up at the other woman and brushed her hair back to show her scars. "It's not so bad. I've seen so much worse."

May smiled stiffly. "I'll bet." She glanced up at Splinter for a split second and then down again at her hands in her lap. "Umm...I'll just be a few moments and I'll get out of the way. I'm sure that you all have much you want to talk about."

Karai looked at her cooly. "I wouldn't want to put you out. Stay a while." She sat cross-legged on the floor. "It'll be good to have another girl to talk to." Her smile thinned. "So how long are you planning on being here?"

May kept still and kept the image of the tree and flowers in her mind. "I... We are working on it." She looked up at Splinter for another second. "I'm so sorry, Master Splinter."

Splinter sighed. "Perhaps you would like to go back to the bedroom, May?" May nodded and stood up slowly. Then he seemed to think for a moment and gestured towards his room. "You may use my room or Leonardo's."

Karai swallowed heavily as she went back to Splinter's bedroom, forcing her face to remain impassive and cool. So much for always loving her mother. Her father was right—the rat was a liar. She caught Splinter studying her face closely. "She seems nice."

Splinter nodded stiffly. "She is very nervous around strangers." He looked at her and tried to smile. "She will warm up to you and I hope that you will be friends."

"I'm sure," Karai agreed. "So tell me about her?"

"She was attacked by—" Leo began and then he bit his tongue.

"By my fath—the Shredder," Karai completed. Leo looked at her. "I was there." She thought for a moment and then grinned. "I'm the one who got her out."

"You told her that the Shredder would kill her if he saw her again," Leo continued stiffly.

"Yes," Karai agreed and then shrugged. "That's what I was told to say."

"So she came down here to get away," Leo continued. "And now she's—"

"Almost a member of the family," Karai finished. "I see."

Mikey wandered out and yawned at them. "What's going on guys? I heard voices." He yawned. "I was dreaming that May was back." He smiled at Karai. "She's my girlfriend."

Leo groaned. "Ugh...Mikey!"

"What?"

Splinter tried to smile. "You are correct, Michelangelo. May has returned."

"Boo-yah!" Mikey cheered. "Real grub!" He looked around. "Uh...where is she?"

"She is...taking a nap," Leo offered.

"Oh," Mikey whispered. "I'll keep it down."

The two other turtles came out, glowering at Mikey who comically shushed them and gestured towards Splinter's room.

Karai smiled at them angelically. "So, Mikey. If she's your girlfriend, why is she in Splinter's bedroom?"

"To keep Mikey out of trouble," Raphael grumbled.

Karai just giggled. The really were just like a bunch of teenage boys. "I see."

"So are we going on patrol or not?" Raphael grumbled.

"Last one out is a rotten pizza!" Mikey shouted. Then he stopped to think for a moment. "Hey—can we go get a pizza?"

Everyone groaned and the turtles began to pick up their weapons and get ready. Splinter sighed and nodded as he handed the turtles some of the money May had put in a drawer for just such emergencies.

Karai smiled at Leo and said. "Can I lay low here for a while? I don't want to blow it for you guys."

Splinter studied her and answered before Leonardo could apeak. "You must do what you think is best." He went to the kitchen area to put the kettle on and to dig out some tea bags. This promised to be a very long night.

Leonardo bowed first to him and then to Karai. "We'll bring back some pizza for you all before we're out for the night."

"That would be welcome." Splinter bowed in return. The others seemed to get the idea and bowed formally as well. "We will be waiting for your safe return."

Karai watched with clinical amusement. Donatello blindly left, his eyes glued to a device of some kind. Mikey swaggered out confidently while Raphael glared at him sourly. Leonardo glanced back at them and smiled at her then caught up with the others. She almost hated to see them go—this was going to be too easy.

Splinter did not seem to be in a hurry to leave the room, though. She turned to face him and for a startling, terrifying moment, it seemed like he could see in her soul and saw every black, terrible thing she didn't want to think about. "Is something wrong?" she smiled.

He looked at her sternly, but said nothing.

"Umm...," she faltered. "So what's next?" This was quickly unraveling and she needed them to be confident that she was completely on their side. "Do we play cards or what?"

Splinter looked at her steadily. "The turtles will be back quickly." Karai nodded at him with a confused look of uncertainty on her face. "Do what you must..." She looked up at him and inexplicably her blood felt cold and she was just sure that he could look into her eyes and knew exactly what she was doing.

She frowned and looked curiously at Splinter's bedroom door. "Who is she really?"

"She is a very scared young woman who was attacked mercilessly." He still was staring at her sternly. "She is a good companion to the family." He raised an eyebrow. "She has a warm heart and would be a good friend to you as well, if you would let it happen."

Karai took in a sip of a breath as Splinter blinked slowly and thoughtfully. No wonder that her father was so determined to get this rat out of his way. If for no other reason, then he had a basilisk stare that could turn you to stone. As she was looking at him, he stood and gestured for her to follow to his bedroom. Curious, she followed him as he went and knocked briefly. A muffled voice called for them to enter and Splinter opened the door with a fluid and graceful move.

May was folding a blanket as they entered. She smiled at Splinter and then bowed suddenly to them both as Karai followed. "I'm sorry... I was tidying up."

Splinter nodded absently. Sure enough, the pillow was put aside neatly on top of the cardboard chest of drawers, the blankets were shaken out and folded, and one of the rugs was straightened. "May, I believe that it would ease Karai's mind if she could ask you some questions."

She looked at Splinter with half a smile and then nodded stiffly to Karai. "If you wish."

He nodded. "If you would come out."

May smiled a little and then nodded. She put the last blanket away, dropped some papers on top, and then followed them out. She looked around the common room and saw that the kettle was on. At least this was something that she could do. Taking out teacups she fixed tea. Perhaps she should ask one of the turtles if they could find two or three more teacups, but then she decided not to make any hasty purchases.

Splinter accepted her offer of a cup of tea and Karai waved the cup aside. Taking it for herself, she pulled a stool over to the couch and began to sip. Karai fluidly chose to sit on the other side of the couch. They sat quietly for a moment, and then Splinter glanced at Karai. "Did you want to ask May anything?"

"What are you doing down here?"

May tried to smile, but some part of her stomach twisted nervously. "The turtles were generous enough to offer me shelter—with Master Splinter's permission, of course."

Karai looked at her. "But why down here? Why not just go to, like, a house?"

May took another sip. "I have nowhere else to go. My father and I were the last of a very small family." She looked at her hands in her lap with the cup in them. "I was too scared to go to a shelter or anything..." She looked at Karai and then away, her cheeks stained red. "I suppose that is cowardly..." Karai just studied her. "So I trade doing chores and cleaning for shelter."

"And you and Splin—my father are...?"

"Good friends," she said softly. "I asked to share his bedroom b-because it is the largest and had the most free space. I have a corner on one side with a duffle bag so that I do not take up too much room."

Karai smirked, her expression saying that she didn't quite believe it. "And you were going to up and leave?"

May shook her head without looking up. "I...I thought that perhaps you would like some time to get to know everyone without my interference." Her cheeks flushed. "It was a foolish thing, I guess, but it seemed like a good idea at the time."

"And all you are is a cook-and-clean?"

"That's all."

Splinter looked at Karai sharply. "I think that perhaps we should let May move her things back?"

Karai nodded. "I'll stay here. Won't move from this spot if you like."

Splinter turned his basilisk stare back at the young ninja. "A man does not have to move in order to cause great harm and mischief."

Karai almost choked, but watched as Splinter left with May and they fetched the silk quilt and other supplies. She looked in the open bedroom as May efficiently placed her pillow and blanket in an opposite corner than Splinter's space. The closest Splinter got to her was to put a hand on her shoulder and to smile at her.

After May was moved back in, she began to clean up—washing their few dishes, picking up the spare nunchucks Mikey left beside the couch, and then washing the surfaces. "I'll just play a game," Karai muttered as May began mopping. She pulled out her phone, half-hoping someone would stop her. May smiled at her and continued mopping, putting the remote on top of the television and wrapping up the controllers, put them on top of the console.

Candy Castle took forever to load and Karai played a few levels. May seemed well occupied with her chores, and Splinter was training. Bored, she pulled up the reviews. "OK, this game play has improved. This time I'll give it two stars out of three. Better and more fluid gameplay as well as nice the nice aura around the possible game moves make it better."

Snapping the phone closed, she stood up as the other woman began to sort a stack of books on the table. Looking at the titles, she swallowed a gasp. "How to Have a Healthy Pregnancy", "What to Expect When You Are Expecting", and "Your Single Pregnancy" were the first three titles. Curling her lip, she ask, "So when is the happy date?"

May started and looked up cautiously at her. "I...I am expecting in about six and a half months, according to Donatello." She tried to shrug casually. "At least, that's the best we could estimate."

"Splinter must be thrilled," Karai smirked. "He is the father?"

May turned utterly pale. "No... He is not." She took a deep breath. "No one here has touched me."

Karai looked at her face. She was absolutely still and pale and seemed terrified. But she was telling the truth—Karai would bet her favorite katana on it. Suddenly, understanding dawned. "Oh..." Then her pale face went a paler shade of white and her hand unconciously covered her mouth. "Oh my gosh."

May stared as the other woman leapt to the door. "My gosh...Master Splinter. I have to go." She snatched up her phone and began to scan the room to make sure that nothing was left behind.

Splinter came out with his heavy cane. "What have you done, my daughter?"

Karai hung her head. "I have to go." She looked at May and then back at her father, pleading in her heart for him to find some way to forgive her and knowing that he couldn't. "I...I have done something terrible."

Splinter gripped his cane tightly. "Running will not solve the problem."

Karai looked at him and then at May and nodded good-bye. Then she darted out. She had not gone far down the tunnels when Leonardo and the turtles were in front of her, holding two pizza boxes. "I'm so sorry, Leo," she whispered. "Look—"

"What is wrong, Karai?" Leo asked, putting a heavy, strong hand on her shoulder. "Is Master Splinter all right?"

"Get to the lair!" she snapped. "I...I am being tracked."

All of the turtles ran past her and she could only collapse against a wall. What had she done?

The turtles ran down the tunnels, but it wasn't hardly fifty feet before the tunnels were clogged with Foot soldiers. It felt like there were many coming out from every corner and the turtles were frantic.

Splinter turned off all of the lights and took May's hand to lead her into one of the turtle's bedrooms. Happily, Leonardo's room was closest—and cleanest—and May ducked in there. Splinter closed the door behind her, whispering for her to lock it from the inside. She nodded, and suddenly was again in darkness and silence. She leaned down and tried to get under the bed, but her bust and curving belly stuck out. She choked back a cry and tried to think. There was no help for it—she picked up what felt like something heavy and strong—and sat in a corner to wait.

It felt like hours—hours in darkness and silence. She set the thing—whatever it was—aside and sat on the floor. Her stomach lurched and she began to feel lightheaded. She leaned on the wall, feeling her stomach clench and not feeling her tears slide down her cheeks.

Then, as she started to feel like she was almost asleep in weariness, she heard the first muffled sounds from the lair. She sat up again, her neck sore and her muscles cramped. She picked up her weapon and slid to beside the door. The door lock clicked open and May pulled up her weapon. The door slid open and a shadow came through. Without thinking, May slammed the weapon down.

Splinter jumped back, seeing a sheathed katana swing down. "May!" he barked hoarsely. The katana slammed into the floor and the sword slid out of the sheath clumsily.

May stepped into the lighted doorway, holding on to the sheath in a death grip. "Master Splinter," she sobbed. "I'm so...sorry."

He looked at her and then held open his arms. She dropped the sheath and went out to him. Gripping him tightly, she glanced all over. "Are you okay?"

"I am fine," he whispered. "The others are back and we could use your help."

"O-of course," she muttered, going past him.

The turtles were in the common area. May took in a shuddering breath and began to wrap joints, put ice on wounds and bandage wounds. She looked around and said, "W-w-where is K-karai?"

Leo looked up at her, his eyes wide and glassy. "She's...she's gone." He swallowed heavily, looking away from them all and his hands in fists. May sighed and nodded, trying to gently touch him. He smacked her hand away and stood up. Without even looking at them, he walked out.

May felt her knees give out and she sank to the floor. Someone, one of the turtles, put a hand on her shoulder. They spoke softly to each other and she ignored them. She was so silent that when her stomach growled fiercely it practically echoed.

Mikey looked up at her sadly. "We lost the extra pizzas."

"Where?" Splinter asked.

"Just under the 12th street tunnel," Mikey said with a sad sigh. "So close, and yet so far."

"That's not even a block. I'll get them if there's anything left," May said sadly.

"Is it safe?" Splinter asked her softly.

Mikey answered with a bit of his usual smile. "I'm sure that we got them all. She should be okay going out a block and then back."

Donnie nodded stiffly, wrapping his ankle with a bandage. "And Leo is likely there already."

May smiled at them. "You all are wounded warriors. I'll grab the pizza and come straight back."

Mikey piped up. "And if you see Leo-"

"I'll tell him to come back soon," she nodded. She didn't hear whether or not Splinter or the others protested further, but left the lair.

It was not hard to find the pizzas. All she had to do was follow the trail of broken robotic parts and oil smears. And the tunnels rarely smelled of warm bread, herb infused tomato sauce and warm cheese. One box was smashed, but the other one looked like it was simply crumpled a bit. With a jaded eye, she considered cleaning up the pieces of metal for recycling and then decided to just take the pizzas back.

With the box in hand, she glanced around and saw someone in the shadows. "Leonardo? I found it."

The figure didn't move, and she picked her way around the parts littering the floor. "Leo? Are you sure you're okay?"

Then the figure moved with lightning speed and May dropped the box.


	11. Chapter 10

Leonardo took yet another deep breath and came back to the lair. The debris from the fighting was scattered around. He looked in the side tunnel and found one box smashed and abandoned. Going a little further, he saw the second one—the pizza leaking out the broken side like a cheeky tongue sticking out at him. Picking it up, he went back to the lair, hoping that May and Father would get at least a slice or two.

The three turtles were looking towards the doorway and he tried to smile. "Hey guys," he said softly. "I'm back." He lifted the box slightly. "This is what's left for May and Splinter."

Raph and Donnie looked at the box and then each other. Mikey swallowed. "So where is May?"

"May?" Leo asked, confused. "What do you mean?"

"She left a little after you did, man. Went to get the pizza." Mikey looked at him with wide eyes. "You saw her, right?"

Leo frowned and shook his head. He looked at his brothers. "Where's Master Splinter?"

"I am here, Leonardo," Splinter said. He stood in the doorway, his head bowed solemnly, holding some folded papers. "My sons...come to me."

The turtles gathered around him and he gave them each a folded paper with their names on it. They looked at the papers in confusion and each other. Splinter showed them his own paper.

"May put these papers in my room this morning," he explained patiently.

Raph growled and balled his up. "We should be finding her instead of reading."

"Raphael!" Splinter growled, his ears laying back. Raphael threw his to the floor and folded his arms. "You will listen to me."

"May's been captured!" he snapped.

Splinter looked at his sons. "I believe so," he admitted. "But if you will listen, then you will understand." He unfolded his papers and looked at them sadly before reading.

"Dear Master Splinter,

"I am writing this so that you will understand and please keep the others safe.

"Please—if anything should happen to me or I get captured by our enemies—please do not send the others to my rescue. I have thought it for a while, and—please—let me go until the child is born. I will have a half of a chance to have my child with the right care and I do want that. It is too frightening to think of trying to have the child on Donatello's table. Donatello would try hard, but I think that he is as frightened as I am about the delivery.

"This child needs so much more than I can do right now. I know that you have given me everything you had. I am so grateful that you took me in when I had nothing else and no one else. You are the very best father that I could possibly imagine and I hope that everyone can see that. The turtles have been the best brothers and uncles and friends I could have had.

"Please keep them safe. Let me get captured if it comes to that. Trade me for the safety of our family if it comes to that. In the spring, when the oniyuri blooms, I will welcome you all. _We_ will welcome you all and we will be a family again.

"I will look forward to seeing you in the spring."

Splinter felt his throat close again. He folded the papers again and looked at them sadly. "The rest of what she wrote is private."

Leonardo sniffed and opened his papers and began to read. "Hey Leo. First, you are my favorite. You are strong enough to handle even me freaking out. You are amazing.

"I don't know if anyone has told you, but please, if I am captured or whatever, it is not your fault. Likely it is my fault, but you are too noble to let anyone else take the blame. Please...don't put yourself in danger for me. You need to be there for the team. You are the backbone that the entire team depends on.

"I think that I will live long enough to have this child. That sounds bad, but I am bad at writing. The Shredder may want this child enough to let me live. And to do that, he is likely to want the medical assistance that my baby needs.

"You have to let this happen so that my baby will be safe. I will depend on you to help the others understand that this has to happen like this. Donnie will go nuts trying to get the lab ready for delivery and it will make Raphael mad. Mikey will need you the most because it will be hardest for him to understand that he has to do nothing until spring.

"No matter how it happens—whether it is me getting captured or traded for one of you—I want you know that I love you all. And in the spring, we will all again be together."

Michelangelo sniffed, wiping away the tears rolling down his face and looked at his papers. Finally, he thrust them to Donatello, who smiled sadly in understanding and began reading. "Michelangelo, you are not only named after one of my favorite artists, but you are my favorite. You are the younger, wonderful brother that I wished I had growing up. It has always been a blast to hang out with you.

"I hope that you will understand if I ask you to please, no matter what happens, please help the others understand that they need to be patient and not do anything until spring. When your younger brother or sister is born, she will know your name and how wonderful you are. You are the joy of the team and they will need that joy. I think that, if the others miss me, they will need you to remind them that in the spring, we will be reunited."

Michelangelo took his papers back and looked at Donatello who began reading his own papers. "Donatello—you are amazing. You are a wonderful friend and brother. We are lucky to have someone so smart in our family. You are my favorite because I can ask you anything and if you do not know the answer, you will find it.

"Donatello, if I am captured or if I need to be traded for one of the others, then I will need you to help the others understand. I am counting on you to remind them why this is important. I know that you can help them understand the massive amount of problems that can happen during the delivery. I know that as brave as you all are, it will be difficult for them to understand how terrifying it is. I am counting on you to help keep them focused that after the birth in the spring, I will begin breastfeeding—one more reason that I will be kept alive—so that when you come, I will be ready."

Donatello stopped suddenly and folded his papers.

Raphael looked at his family who stared at him expectantly. He snorted and picked up the wad of paper and growled. "Raphael—you are my favorite. You are strong and kind and willing to do whatever it takes to keep everyone safe. You are the heart of our family, strong and true and you are—" Raph growled and balled it up again.

"Is that all?" Donnie asked.

"It's private." Raphael stood suddenly and went to his room, slamming the door.

Leonardo stared at his papers and then looked at Donatello. "Donatello. When is the date?"

May did not bother to struggle and the black clothed thing only clicked and hissed static at her. Her stomach growled again and she paused as her head ached and felt light. The soldier beeped at her and reached out, but she was already moving again.

They trudged through until they came to a dead end. May looked around blearily and realized it was the tunnel she had been living in. They climbed up unsteadily and the robot was joined by others like it. She was carefully herded into the back of a waiting van, where she was pushed into a back seat. Gratefully, she buckled the seat belt and sat back.

There were no windows in the back of the van and for once May was thankful. Her stomach was barely up to the ride, let alone the flashes of lights and scenery. She closed her eyes wearily and did not notice until the van stopped that she had slept.

She was let out by someone who appeared human. Nodding sleepily, she followed them through what appeared to be an underground parking deck. She asked them where she was and they ignored her, so she simply followed them to the elevator.

Her head was still spinning—the nuts and granola from yesterday didn't go very far—and she looked at her feet. The carpet was lush and the color of red wine. The elevator had an elaborate number of buttons with a key card entry and several buttons that were key entries. She sighed, waiting as the numbers climbed.

At last a merry chirp sounded and the door opened into a long hallway. There were windows at the ends of the hallway with elaborate ironwork bars over them. There were only four doors off this hall—two at each side. It was peculiarly silent in here, even when she was led over to one of the doors. That door turned out to be only mostly shut and pushed open easily. She shrugged as she was "ushered" inside. The others stayed outside and shut the door behind her, locking and leaving her alone.

May took a deep breath as she looked around. One room was completely empty. There were a handful of beanbags and huge pillows on the floor for sitting. There was a bedroom with a thick futon cushion on the floor made up with sheets, a selection of pillows and two blankets. Spare sheets were folded in the closet. There was a spacious bathroom with a tub with two large bath towels and a handful of washcloths as well as two kinds of bar soap, some epsom salts, real toilet paper, a new toothbrush and toothpaste, a small bottle of shampoo and a small bottle of conditioner. The kitchen had a package of napkins and some bottled water, a block of pre-sliced cheddar cheese, a half gallon of milk, fruit, a can of mixed nuts and a dozen 16 ounce bottles of orange juice labeled with the days of the week. Looking in the mostly empty cabinets, she found a box of black tea, a box of Earl Grey tea, a variety box of caffeine free teas including mint and sweet orange, some bread, some paper plates, a box of individual servings of sugar, a bottle of honey, a shaker bottle of cinnamon, some packets of salt and pepper, creamy peanut butter, a new bottle of soy sauce and a can of pickles. In the freezer were three single-serving sized tubs of fozen yoghurt.

She had a few paper hot beverage cups and filled one with hot water from the spigot and dropped a mint tea bag in it. Taking out two apples and a pear, along with some cheese and nuts she went to sit on a pillow and eat. At first, she thought she was going to be sick, but she drank the mint tea and suddenly felt ravenous. She had to go back to the kitchen and take out a bottle of orange juice, then a second one when the first one was empty.

She walked around the apartment again. All of the windows had ironwork bars on the outside and were apparently some of the new type that were double-paned with the blinds between the panes and a touch sensor on the wall to raise and lower them. Picking up her cup, she refilled it with hot water and dropped in some honey and began swirling around to mix it.

She peeked out of each of the windows and wandered to locked patio door. It was actually quite late—she could see an illuminated bank sign down below. There were stars and the moon was a tiny fingernail sliver in a sky glittering with helicopter and airplane lights. Aside from being rather austere, it was a comfortable cell.

She looked at the crisp sheets and her clothes. Walking into the bathroom, she stripped off her clothes and ran a tub of deliciously warm water. She washed her hair and relished the squeaky clean feeling, then took her clothes and washed them in the tepid water. Laying them out on the side of the tub, she wrapped herself in a towel and went back to the bedroom. She looked at the windows and figured that no one was exactly going to be wandering by and peeking in. So she wrapped her hair in the towel and slid into the sheets. Almost instantly, she was in a deep, dreamless sleep.

Several hours later, her door clicked open and Saki, sans armor and disguised in a low level Foot ninja's uniform, glided in on silent feet. He held a tiny, dim light to see. A cabinet door was open and the honey was on the counter. There was a cup, two apple cores, a pear core, a tea bag, two empty plastic OJ bottles, and two crumpled napkins in the minuscule trash can in the kitchen.

He slid from the kitchen to the bedroom. On the futon, he found her sleeping. She was nude, wrapped loosely in a sheet with a blanket tangled around her waist. A towel clung to the ends of her hair on one of the pillows and he pulled it away from the futon carefully, noting that it was damp and cool and frowning slightly.

She made a vaguely erotic scene—black hair like ribbons across crisp white sheets, her skin pale and smooth and the shade of moonlight, the folds in the sheets presenting a hypnotic array of shadow shapes before the dark gray of the blanket. The scars on her bare back were dark red. It was like an ink painting—washes of almost black and gray on white with a few startling red marks.

Now that he was sober, he could see that she had a vague resemblance to the dead woman. But her face was her own too—slightly sharper nose, thicker lashes and a slightly wider forehead. Of course, as she rolled slightly, he could see the red of the scars on her face.

She was not unattractive, he decided. He was fortunate. One could not help but hear ribald and bawdy stories in a clan such as this—populated by those who owned whores and those who paid them, gang members peppered with whores and ex-whores and seasoned with a few random mercenaries and other unsavory individuals. He could have been most unfortunate and—as blindly drunk as he supposed he had been—selected an unattractive woman.

She did not realize the number of cameras that were on her, placed behind safety mirror in the bathroom, in the numerous "smoke alarms", and one on the patio. He had watched her come in, but had been forced to turn away because of a problem with a Russian gangster. Then he had watched as she had taken out a second jug of juice—completely ignoring the labels indicating which day it was for—and drank it down. Just before he had come up, he had examined the cameras again—seen the ragged clothes draped over the side of the bathroom and her in bed.

Foolishly, he had wanted to see her for himself, though, and hear her breathing and make sure that she was resting well. Some part of him doubted the camera evidence and he had to see the empty jugs and trash, see the clothes and see the girl to be sure his eyes were not playing tricks on him.

He was not sure if he dared to sit down by her bed. When Shen was pregnant, he had asked her permission to be in the house when Yoshi was out of town and, albeit angrily, abided by her wishes when she refused. He had envied Yoshi the right to put hands on Shen as her belly grew and to hold her breasts as they ripened for the child. Yoshi had adored her like a moon calf and delighted to rub her growing belly like a cheap restaurant Bhudda. Yoshi had been all over her, walking all over the compound and smiling like a fool. Now this little one was in his hands and completely in his power. It felt a little like a karma rewarding him. If he wanted to hold her belly and feel it grow beneath his hands, he could. If he wanted to feel her breasts swell like melons, he could. This one was completely in his hands.

He took a steadying breath, and slid out to lock her inside again. There were small formalities first. To see if the child was his and, if so, to begin proper care. He had been angry with Yoshi's cavalier attitude, allowing Shen to set whatever appointments she desired at a doctor she picked out in some arcane way, to do and lift whatever she pleased, to work as long as she pleased, and to eat whatever she desired. He had tried to tell her to be careful, to call for a student to help her lift things, and to not use the bus and cabs, but to instead call him to take her where she wished.

Yoshi had laughed at him, calling him a jealous fool. He had tried to explain that she was carrying an important child, that she needed to remain in the protection of the clan, that she was vulnerable in her condition. Yoshi listened to him with a twinkle in his eyes that said that he didn't believe a word of it. Then Yoshi laughed again and told him that he trusted Shen to stay safe and to handle her pregnancy. Yoshi had refused to see that Shen needed to be taken in hand for her own safety and well-being and simply allowed her to go on working in the compound gardens, occasionally baby-sitting, lifting the boxes and bags, putting together the nursery furniture by herself, painting the nursery walls, taking a public bus to go satisfy her apparently inexhaustible appetite for sweet potato fries.

He looked at the closed and locked door, setting his hand on it. He was pleased beyond words and went to his own quarters to train in his private dojo. His form felt much sharper, every move felt more graceful and forceful. He arms and legs felt lighter and stronger and even his blades felt as though they were made of air. He trained for another two hours as the rising sun filled his suite of rooms. He felt a hundred years younger, as though he were a youth still.

He showered, relishing the feeling of the warm water beating down on his shoulders and chest. He washed his hair, shaved the sparse hair above his lip and on his chin, and dressed in a light shirt and loose pants. As he dried off his head and walked, feeling amazingly alive, he saw the ink painting of the tiger and he growled at it in fun. The sun filled the apartment with sparkling, warm golden light.

A knock sounded at his door and, after a brief pause, he went to the door to open it. A tray lay on the floor with juice, milk, whole wheat toast and a bowl sliced fruit on it. He took it and saw a similar try outside the girl's door. Dropping his tray on his kitchen table, he went and unlocked her door and slid her tray inside then locked her door again.

After the light meal, he went to his own bedroom. Usually, he would sleep now, fatigued by running, training and all of the management that the Foot organization required. Now he felt energized. Of course, she was likely exhausted. It was wise to let her sleep for now, while he arranged for a doctor to visit her here. Unless he cared to wait until the child was born, he would have to make arrangements for paternity tests.

May awoke to the feeling she was asleep on a sunlit cloud. She blinked blearily, frowning at the unfamiliar comfort and sheets. She sat up in confusion, looking around. Then she remembered. Swallowing heavily, she went to put on her clothes.

A tray was on the floor in front of her door with a simple breakfast. She ate it, enjoying the fresh fruits and the sweet, hearty bread. There was nothing else to do, so she washed the dishes and set them back on the tray. Frowning, she went back to the patio doors, watching the city below.

But there was not much going on this far up. It was amazing to see the city again, but she quickly grew bored. Then a flash of color caught her eye—the fluffy pink trees with a thumbprint smudges of red, orange and yellow in garden beds. The gardens! She smiled at the sight, thinking of the walk with Splinter. She sighed in happiness, her eyes closing as she pictured the mighty oak tree in the field of lilies. But she did feel bone tired. After weeks of cleaning and scavenging and work to make threadbare ends meet, she finally had to take a few minutes more to simply rest. She slunk to the futon and pulled the blankets over herself again.

She napped and lazed about restlessly, until another knock sounded at the door. Going to the door, she helplessly turned the locked knob. There was, as expected, no give and the door remained shut. Frustrated, she went paced back and forth. She grabbed a bottle of juice and went back to the window where she saw that it was now 12:30 according to the bank clock far below. She tried to concentrate and then turned away again. The windows did not open to let in the slightest breath and she longed to feel the breeze again.

There was a loud hissing clank as the lock slid open. She darts towards the door only to see a gloved hand push the tray inside and the door close again. She glowered at the door and shouted "Thank you!" Picking it up, she took it to the empty hearth and sat down.

There was a covered crock of warm vegetable soup with chunks of carrots, potatoes, peas, celery and tomatoes. The sandwich was thick with sliced tomatoes, pesto, ovalini cheese, avocado slices, cucumbers, and spinach. There was again a cup of juice—apple juice, this time—along with a tall bottle of water. Sliced mangos and pineapple were for dessert.

May took her time, wanting to stretch this out before she was again alone and bored. The plates clinked and wobbled for a moment and she peaked under the dishes. There were several magazines—a baby catalogue with everything from furniture to toys and clothes, a maternity magazine with a bewildering assortment of fashions and errata, and then what appeared to be a parenting magazine. She peered at them curiously as she ate her mangos and pineapple.

Giggling at her sticky hands, she went to the bathroom sink to wash up. She quickly washed her face and hands. With reluctance, she washed the dishes and set the two trays and stacked dishes by the door. Then she went back to the magazines.

The magazine seemed to be the one to read first. It extolled the virtues of regular doctor visits, fresh fruits and vegetables, exercise, sunlight and fresh air, and other healthy things. She studied the articles, feeling a tinge of regret that nowhere was a mutant ninja rat mentioned as part of a healthy pregnancy.

She turned the page to another article about delivering a healthy child and found a thick sheaf of papers folded up in the magazine. Unfolding them she looked in bewilderment, studying them. They were all from a doctor she had never heard of with what seemed like the most intimate and personal of questions. Even more alarming, quite a few of the details seemed to have been typed in already.

She unfolded the papers all the way and a cheap pen fell out. Gritting her teeth, she sat for a moment, closing her eyes and allowing herself to breathe. This was not going to be hard—not nearly so hard as when her father had called one of his school chums to do her first examination and then they had to sit down together to discuss her as though she weren't sitting right there between them. She simply needed confirmation of a healthy child. Opening her eyes, she began filling out the paperwork.

Flushing mightily as she completed the forms, she folded up the papers and pen again and set them aside. The only places she had to sit were hassocks, two beanbags and some cushions and there were no coffee tables or side tables. There weren't any lamps, either, come to think of it. She looked around curiously. Not only were there no lamps or any of the tiny tables that would decorate a home, there were small electronics—not even a cheap alarm clock. There wasn't a toaster—although she could toast her bread in the oven—or a coffee maker or a blender.

Now truly curious, she continued her inspection. There was very little that could be held in the hand anywhere in the apartment and what there was, was made of paper or bendable plastics. There were no sharp knives—not unexpected—but also no forks. There was a peculiarly mismatched tile where the shower head would come out of the wall in the bathroom and there was no shower curtain rod, although there were the brackets for it. Even the clothing rod in the closet was gone, leaving only the brackets behind.

She sat in front of the heart and looked at it, trying to make sense of it. Curious, she looked at the empty hearth and saw that the flue was bolted shut. She admitted that she couldn't complain since as far as prisons went this was positively luxurious. But it was such a strange blend of luxury and absence that it gave her the chills.

She looked over from her place by the hearth to the futon mat. It was one of the thick mats that was made to be on a wooden frame, but the frame was missing. Then it struck her—there was nothing she could use to bar a door. She swallowed heavily, feeling a chill tickling her spine and knowing that there was something she wasn't thinking of.

She thought about the bathroom again. Why give her the luxury of a tub and, in fact, a tub with jacuzzi jets, but deny her a shower? Another thought hit her hard. Once, Master Splinter had come out to lecture the turtles as they sat in the common room. He did not do it often, but sometimes he did it, she supposed, just to change the scenery. This time, he lectured on the value of perspective.

"Being able to see yourself through your enemies' eyes," he said solemnly. "That is the way to prevail. You know how you see yourself, but you can be blind to your own weaknesses. By looking through the eyes of your enemy, you will see your weaknesses and your strengths. You will see more of what he intends to do and how to counter it."

So, pausing for another breath, she looked at the apartment in. What was missing? Anything that she could bar the door with. Anything she could pick up and throw. Anything she could use in her fists.

She gritted her teeth and flushed. So what about the bars? That made no sense still—it was not like she could move a bolted in shower curtain rod. She glanced around at the magazines and her eyes hit on the cover with big letters spelling "It's Not Just 'Baby Blues'—It's Real!". Thumbing to the article, she read about postpartum depression and the author's experience with suicidal thoughts.

She closed her eyes wearily. He was preventing her from committing suicide. No cords, no knives and not even a bottle of aspirin. Nothing that would allow her to cut herself, poison herself, or hang herself. She hadn't even considered it, and he had not only already thought about it, but had actively planned to prevent it.

She hugged herself tightly and moved to sit in the sun since she suddenly felt cold. She panted, chaffing her hands and trying hard to focus. It was impossible. She let a few of her tears fall, but choked back the rest. This was now truly scary. Here was someone who had no qualms about killing or kidnapping or anything, and she was in his grasp. This was some kind of freakish control obsession at an insane level and for the moment at least a portion of it was laser-focused on her pregnancy.

She got up and paced, hoping to feel better. When she came to the hassock, she kicked it as hard as she could. The whump it made as it hit the wall was satisfying and she kicked it again. Then she slammed herself down on it like she had seen Raphael do. She grunted and then laid still on it. It had been peculiarly satisfying to kick the heck out of the thing. She grinned—maybe that's why Raphael liked fighting so much. Maybe she could ask for one of those huge water filled punching bags—after all, she could hardly throw it and there was no way she could move it. She laughed out loud and rolled over. This wasn't so bad. It was just a matter of knowing the rules.

Speaking of rules, she decided, it was time for her to learn them too.

One magazine, no matter how interesting, can only take so much scrutiny. So after a read-through or two, she turned towards the baby catalog and the fashion catalog. Going into the empty spare room, she sat down and began comparing the photographs to her room. The fussy white set with ruffles of pink made her gag. The linens with the hot air balloons was an interesting theme, but the wall hangings had lots of little strings.

She paged through it irritably. There was nothing that really caught her attention. She rolled her eyes mentally. Of course nothing would capture her attention—not when she wanted a Japanese theme with samurai and ninjas. She frowned and dog-eared the page with solid colored blankets and neutral sheets. She needed to get her head out of the clouds and back here. She needed to get her wits about her and protect herself and her baby until spring. Maybe summer if the guys were cautious about the timing or if she was late in delivering.

So she picked out a set with pretty pink flowers that reminded her of cherry blossoms for a girl. Then she picked out a set for a boy in navy with stars and rockets. To be safe, she picked out a third set with the alphabet letters surrounded by animals. There was an alligator for the A, a bear and a beaver for the B, and so on. The furniture she wasn't so sure about. Did she want to co-sleep or not, did she want to fuss with a changing table or not...

There was a pleasant enough set made out of bamboo—which made her giggle—so she dog eared that page. There was a breathtaking selection of rockers and gliders and she drooled over a huge, overstuffed rocker recliner with side pockets for binkies and so on.

Without giving it much thought, she marked the pages for cloth diapers, some maternity bras, a selection of pacifiers, and assorted toys. It was like shopping without actually going anywhere and since she had little better to do, she picked out a riding toy, a baby carrier, a stroller, a diaper bag and a thousand other things. It was a dizzying array of choices and there were things that she had never heard of.

She sighed sadly. There were thousands of dollars of things and she had no idea what was important and what wasn't. Not for the first time, she wished she had someone to talk to.

Then the front door lock hissed and clicked. She leapt up and got to the door of the bedroom before she saw the people coming in. Two humanoid figures—she wasn't going to think of them as human, considering the robotic ones looked identical—dressed all in black came into the kitchen for the trays and dishes and left silently. Two more humanoid figures followed them and went to the corners of the kitchen. She swallowed heavily and came out to watch, the magazine forgotten in her hand.

No one spoke as the dishes were taken out and a new covered tray was brought in and placed on the kitchen counter. She suddenly realized that her mouth was watering. Glancing sheepishly out the windows, she realized that it was approaching evening.

Then she did hear voices. Her heart went to her throat as she recognized the deep bass voice and then an unfamiliar, lighter tenor. The two figures in the corner were just watching her with glittering amusement in their eyes.

Shredder came in with a smaller, thinner man in a lab coat with a black medical bag and a stethoscope around his neck. She felt herself grow pale and cold and nauseous and she leaned heavily against a wall. Shredder went to the kitchen counter and glanced at her tray and the trash can.

May closed her eyes and tried to take in a deep breath. He was massive—tall and muscular and his armor was terrifying. But he stayed back and allowed the smaller man to go in front of him.

The doctor was an Oriental man her own height with an almost bald head and bags under his eyes. May glanced at his coat and saw "Dr. Ken" embroidered on the chest, along with the logo she had seen on the papers. He looked at her curiously and the held out his hand.

"Hello. I'm Dr. Yamato Kenshiro, but most of my patients call me 'Dr. Ken'."

May glanced over his shoulder nervously and then back at him. "Hello, Doctor." She shook his hand and came into the room.

"Come here to the counter," he instructed. "We'll get started. Now, I understand that you've already filled out the papers?"

May nodded and gingerly approached the counter. "Here they are."

"Good, good," he smiled. He took them and glanced at the information. "So you are Masamune Sakura—going by the nickname of 'May'." He muttered to himself over several things, making notes and drawing stars. He asked her various questions, confirmed her height and approximate weight, whether she had previous children or pregnancies.

He pulled out a manilla folder and stuck the papers inside, making more notes. He took down the name of her "primary" doctor, her symptoms, and her medical history. May shifted restlessly from foot to foot as she answered the questions. Finally, she reached into the fridge and grabbed some bottled water.

Dr. Ken smiled and pointed to the fridge with his pen. "A great start to a healthy pregnancy begins with good nutrition. It's good to see that you have fruits and vegetables. Do you regularly eat meat or are you vegetarian?"

She smiled at him. "I'll eat just about anything as long as it is staying still." She swallowed some water. "And prunes. I hate prunes."

He smiled. "I would advise regular meals, along with snacks if you are hungry. Peanut butter or almond butter is good, along with lentils or beans. Chicken and high quality beef are good, along with a low-mercury fish once a week." He went through another sheet of paper. "I also advise drinking orange juice and low-fat milk."

She nodded, listening carefully. She needed to give this baby as great a chance as she could, so if she had to drink and eat carefully, she would.

Dr. Ken was on a roll, though, and continued. "Do you drink or smoke or do recreational drugs?"

She flushed. "No, never!"

He laughed. "I figured as much, but I have to ask." He added a check to his forms. "So, do you have an estimated conception date?"

She flushed again, about to answer, when a bass voice interrupted with the date in fluid, deep tones. Dr. Ken glanced over at the Shredder and nodded silently, his smile suddenly stiff. She stilled, taking in deep breaths and staring at the bottle in her hands.

Dr. Ken wrote down the date silently. The he turned back to May. "Now, we're about done." He coughed heavily. "I was told that you had only recently moved in, but I'd advise getting a few stools or chairs. In the late stages, getting up and down from the floor will be very difficult."

May nodded, perfectly aware that she had absolutely no say in the decor.

He nodded absently. "So now we're going to wrap up with a few things. We've got some blood tests that I can do here, as well as an initial exam if you've got somewhere to lay down." He glanced at a circular thing he pulled out of his bag. He spun the inner dial and looked at the dates. "If you are able to make an appointment at my office, then we can let you hear the baby's heartbeat." He looked at his dial and wrote down some notes on a piece of paper. "Here's a few dates that you'll want to keep track of. The trimester dates are important to some, but here's the dates when we can do a sonogram, ultrasound, and this range is the expected delivery range."

Shredder growled, "That range is over three weeks."

The doctor nodded. "Well, unfortunately, even with an exact conception date, there are a number of things that can slide the date either way. Before the first date and you're going to be considered premature. The middle week is most likely. After the last day of the last week and you'll be considered "late" and we'll start talking about options." He smiled at May. "Delivery dates are not now and never will be an exact science, but we'll shoot for...how about this date?"

Everyone nodded. Dr. Ken pulled out a syringe and a few test tubes. "These are going to do some genetic testing—cystic fibrosis, MS, Down's, etc. This is for STDs. This blue topped ones are for drugs and allergies. This one is for a blood cell count." She looked shocked at the number of tubes. He pulled out a final tube. "This one is for paternity."

May shot a glance over at the Shredder and only nodded. Dr. Ken examined her arms and finally settled on the right one. He began swabbing the area with alcohol. "Don't worry. You're not going to be my pincushion. Just one prick and then I'll switch out tubes. You'll be fine."

He tossed the alcohol wipe in the trash and put the usual rubber band at her bicep. "Now, if you'll just make a fist, then we'll get started."

Suddenly the armored man grabbed her arm and pinned it to the counter. May yelped and jumped back, but she knew she was pinned. The hand armor and blades glittered around her forearm and she made a fist instinctively. May couldn't help but stare for a moment, hypnotized by the glittering metal.

Dr. Ken swallowed a retort and nodded. He focused on May with a smile. "So, just take a deep breath. You don't have to watch—you can close your eyes and thing of something pleasant."

May forced herself to be still. She closed her eyes and thought of the oak tree. She tried to imagine that it was Master Splinter trying to hold her arm. She drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly, willing the muscles to relax.

The prick was insignificant and her eyes popped open in surprise. The doctor focused on the needle and switched out the tubes quickly. He then put cotton on top of the needle and withdrew it. A few minutes later, she was bandaged up.

He smiled at her and she smiled shyly back. "I'm sorry. I've always been bad with needles." She cocked her head at the filled tubes. "But this wasn't so bad."

"You're going to do fine," Dr. Ken said. Despite the visible sweat on his brow, he tried to smile at her. "Now. A quick initial exam and I'll be out of here and you can relax."

The darkly clothed figures snickered and May flushed. "I've got a futon in the back."

Dr. Ken seemed about to grumble, but instead wiped his brow with a handkerchief. "OK. We'll make do this time." He rummaged in his bag again and pulled out a paper robe and paper wrap. "So, put this on open in the front. We'll wait out here until you get ready."

May nodded and took the robe and cover. It was the usual thin paper stuff. She went to the bedroom and pushed the sheets, blankets and pillows aside and began to change. She then went to sit on the edge of the futon. There was a knock on the door and she took a deep breath. "I'm ready, Dr. Ken."

Dr. Ken came in, looking around and sweating profusely. "Good. Good." He positioned her on the futon and told her to lay back.

May stared up at the ceiling for a moment, waiting for the dreaded pushing and pulling and prodding when the door slid open again and Shredder walked in. She jerked and the doctor cursed as she kicked an instrument.

"I will be present," he announced softly. In the all but bare room, his voice still echoed.

The doctor only nodded and collected his flashlight from the floor. "As you wish. However, I would not advise making her any more tense." He glanced at the window and smiled nervously at May. "What do you see out there?"

May smiled at his obvious distraction and took a deep breath. She looked out the window and saw the stars and a blink of a chopper or a plane. The sounds of the jelly and tools seemed a little more distant. She tried to pretend, imaginging she was going somewhere—anywhere—on that plane.

Dr. Ken nodded and began the exam. "So tell me if any of this hurts." She gasped a little, feeling the uncomfortable twinge as the instruments showed him whatever it was he was looking for. He pressed her stomach a few times and kept asking her questions. Then he was done. "OK," he said with relief. "We're done." He covered her back up with the paper and helped her sit up. "It looks like you are on track for a healthy pregnancy."

She nodded slowly. "Can I get changed now?"

"Sure," he nodded. "We'll step out until you're dressed again. But why don't you give me a urine sample? It's probably unnecessary, but I'll run a pregnancy test again just to be sure." He scooped up his plastic instruments into a plastic bag with a big "Biohazard" sign on it and handed her the sealed cup with a twist-on top. "Then we'll wrap up."

May waited until they had left and went to the bathroom. She blushed and filled the cup—which seemed somehow more embarrassing than anything else—and then dressed. Coming out, she saw the doctor with a few paper strips out on the kitchen counter. He took the cup from her and dipped the strips in and when she looked, she saw they were marked with 'Temperature F/C', 'Ph (7.0 = neutral)', and 'Pregnancy'. In a few minutes, he had the readings he wanted and then recorded the results. Smiling again at her, he shuffled everything into her patient folder and his tools back into his bag.

"So do you have any questions?" he asked her directly.

May was just about to shake her head when she thought of a question. "What about exercise?"

He smiled at her. "What about it?"

"What kind of exercise should I be doing?"

He nodded and put his pen in his shirt pocket. "Well, you appear to be fairly healthy, although I would guess a few more pounds might not hurt you. So whatever exercises you have been doing you should continue." He glanced sideways at the glowering, armored man. "You should be able to do stair climbing and walking. I'd advise that you find an indoor place to walk so that in the winter you'll be able to continue it." He took out his pen again. "I'll have my nurse put together a new mom package for you. It lists some gyms with prenatal workout times, as well as shows you some of the stretched to strengthen your pelvic floor and keep you limber."

Shredder grunted. "And what should she not do?"

"I would say that normal exercises are best—cardio of course, but also stretching and possibly yoga. No marathons. I would limit any strength training and definitely not go for an abdominal heavy workout." He looked at her sternly. "You don't want to put pressure on the baby, so gradually is best."

She nodded and leaned against the counter. "Is there anything else?"

He shook his head a little with a compassionate smile. "Your body was made for this, so your normal activities will be very healthy. In a few weeks, your child will definitely be hearing your voice as you talk and further towards the end of the pregnancy, you'll find your child will be listening and responding to your environment like other voices, radio, or...tv..." He glanced around and then his voice trailed off.

She only nodded. "I guess that's all."

He smiled in relief. "Here is a card with my information. You can call the nurse on call or email us any time with any questions. I'd also recommend going online and getting on one of the mailing lists that shows you week-to-week information. Those will answer all kinds of questions as well." He shrugged in his coat and wiped his forehead with his kerchief again. "So, I'll see you in about 4 weeks. Why don't you stop by my office and we'll see if we can find the heartbeat? Say, around 8:30 at night? Most everyone is gone by then."

May flushed and looked at Shredder. The ninja master nodded solemnly in what she took as agreement. "Sounds good," she whispered.

The doctor was shown out along with everyone else and she was left alone again. She peeked at the dinner tray and sighed. The macaroni and cheese was stone cold now. The juice was lukewarm and the salad looked like it had seen better days.

She took the salad and poured the little cup of oil and vinegar over it and began munching. It would have been good if she had been able to eat when they had come in with it. The dark grape juice she drank mainly because she didn't want to worry with going to the fridge.

Abruptly, there was a clicking on her door. May put the salad plate and cup back on the tray as the lock opened. The door swung open quickly and another darkly dressed individual came in to take the tray and replace it with a fresh one. She tried to smile, but her heart failed as Shredder came in behind him.

She went to the tray and peeked beneath to see a fresh portion of the main dish, a second salad, and a cup of cut up fruits. She tried again to smile and absently thanked the person bringing it in.

Shredder growled low at the other person—it was impossible to tell whether it was a female or male—and slammed the door. "You will eat your dinner and you will come with me."

She nodded and took out a spoon from her cabinet. The casserole turned out to be loaded with cauliflower, broccoli, carrots and peas as well as a really sharp cheddar sauce. She couldn't help herself and she scraped the bowl. After such a hearty main dish, the salad didn't appeal any more, but the fruit satisfied her sweet tooth and she drank the second portion of juice.

She scraped a bit more of the cheese off the bottom of the dish. Desperate to break the oppressive silence, she whispered, "You must have an absolute saint in the kitchen. That was the best I've had in a long time."

He nodded, studying her. "Take a bottle of water and come with me."

She nodded and reached in the fridge for a cold bottle of water. He led her out into the hallway and began walking towards the window. She lagged behind, glancing around nervously. He paused and turned his head a little towards her. "Are you coming?" She cautiously walked up. "Keep up and we will discuss our...arrangements."

She began pacing the hallway with him, taking sips of water as they went back and forth. He seemed to be seething, and she didn't quite feel like making small talk.

He shot her a sideways glance. "Your rules."

"My...rules?"

"You will clear questions with me before you bring them up with anyone else!" he snapped. She stumbled backwards at his anger. "You will also not shame me!"

"Shame you?" she asked timidly.

"When you received your tray tonight," he explained angrily, whirling and coming closer to her.

She looked at him in confusion. "I thanked the person bringing it in." At his angry glare, she glanced away at her door down the hallway. "I'm sorry."

He slammed his hand on the wall beside her, snapping her attention back to him. "Tell me who the father of your child is!"

She crumpled away from him, jerking when she realized her back was against the wall. "You are! You know that!"

He smiled at her. "I...will see." Then, just as suddenly, he whirled away and gestured for her to continue walking with him. "I will expect you to show me respect at all times and to do nothing that would endanger your pregnancy." He glanced at her again, pleased that she was keeping up with him. "I am the only one who will be making the decisions. No one else will and if anyone else tries, then you are to tell me immediately. Am I clear?"

She took a nervous sip of water. "Yes." He glared at her again. "Sir."

He paused at the window at one end of the hall. "If you please me, then I will reward you. If not, then I will know of ways to make you regret it."

She nodded, looking outside at the cityscape in order to avoid looking at him. "I will do what you want. I want a healthy baby as well."

"Good," he murmured. It was said so low it was like a purr. "Then you will be rewarded quickly."

She nodded again, shivering. This felt like a whirlwind—he would get angry in a moment. The next minute he would appear to be calm. She never guessed that a meaningless "thanks" would provoke him.

"Are you cold?" he asked, moving to stand behind her.

She shook her head. "Just trying to figure out how we can live like this." She closed her eyes. "I'm missing being active and useful."

"You are more useful standing there keeping my child safe than many of my ninjas."

"Doesn't seem like much," she muttered.

"Then you should have no problems satisfying me." He walked up behind her. Instinctively, she walked closer to the window and he raised his arms to each side of the window. "Please me and we will have no problems that require," he paused in a bone-chilling way. "Correction."

She began trembling and almost dropped her bottle. She was utterly surrounded by darkly gleaming metal and muscle. But he didn't move further, just kept her looking out the window for what felt like years.

Then, as suddenly as he had trapped her, he dropped his arms and snapped, "Come away from the window." Then he began going back down the hall. She whirled and reluctantly caught up. "Powerful people who are interested in defying me may try to target you."

She sucked in a breath, amazed. "W-w-what?"

"Stay away from the windows except in your suite or my suite. Those have bullet-proof glass. Be careful walking around." He shot her another look, though it didn't seem to be angry this time. "I will accompany you anywhere you go."

He opened the door to her suite and she ducked inside. With glittering eyes, he watched as she went to lean on the kitchen counter. "And pick out some clothes. I will look at your selections tomorrow and approve them."

May went back to her suite and to the kitchen counter. The lock hissed and clicked and the suite was silent. She collapsed against the counter, her knees giving out and her head hitting her hands on the countertop. She panted heavily, her stomach clenching unbearably.

There was little else to do, so she tossed the half bottle of water in the suddenly emptied trashcan and went to the bathroom. Peeling off the ragged clothes, she ran a hot bath and turned on the jets. Climbing in the tub, she sighed, feeling the tears run down her face.

She must have been insane. Why had she thought that this might work? She wiped her face again. The jets pulsed gently around her, making her form feel weightless. She laughed brokenly. She was trying to con a master criminal—what had she really thought would happen?

She automatically began breathing, thinking of how much fun Splinter would have with a little boy. In the spring, the turtles would come for her and her baby and she would again be safe. Probably a little nutty, but safe. Automatically, she touched her stomach, marveling at the slight roundness. Was there a boy or a girl in there? A boy for Splinter to teach? Or a girl to spoil rotten? Her mind gratefully turned to mush and she let it wander in a pleasant debate between names.

Suddenly the jets turned off. She cracked an eye and looked at the switches on the wall. She was no expert, but it would appear that something had switched the jets off. She grabbed a towel and went to the buttons on the wall. The dial showed that there were still ten minutes left before the jets were supposed to cut off. She felt her skin prickle and she looked around, for an instant sure that somehow she was being watched. Disturbed, she dried off, picked up the clothes and went to the bedroom. Tossing the clothes down beside the futon, she wrapped up again in the sheet and lay down, but it was a long time before sleep overtook her.

Saki took out the old uniform and slunk into her room again. He couldn't count on exhaustion making her sleep so deep every night, but for tonight, he was able to slip in. He stood over the futon, watching her snuggle into her pillow. He was able to admit to himself that he had turned off the jets in her tub in order to have her get out as well as concern that the heat would harm the child. It was an added benefit that she was attractive and was slick and naked in front of the false mirror and camera as she checked the switches and dials.

She would need more clothes, that was certain. The tank top had been nice—at one point—but the pants were obviously a hand-me-down from someone. She needed to look presentable, so she would get a handful of clothes now. He glanced at the sizes, moving silently and quickly to pick them up and drop them. She shivered, muttering softly, and he gently pulled up the sheet and settled it around her shoulders. He slid towards the door, grabbing the clothing catalogue on his way out.

He looked through the slick pages, staring at the stick thin, pale models with overdone makeup and puffy hair. Some of them were obviously padded and were all the more unattractive for it. He liked a few things—one red shirt, a pretty plum colored dress, some black stretchy pants. The blue shirt with the splashes of color would have been nice, but it had a deep neckline and he had no desire for anyone else to be that familiar with her curves. He had no idea what size of bra she might need and short of standing over her with a string or something, he had no idea how to get a properly fitted one. The catalogue featured a sizing guide and he was able to order some things online with a rushed delivery date. Soft sneakers or slippers might work for daily use, but he would have to see if she could earn shoes before she needed to visit the doctor's office.

Still, it was a pleasant thing to be able to casually glance at the screen and see that she was still in the futon and wrapped in the sheet and sleeping. He could not count the number of times that he had argued with Shen and then with Yoshi that she needed to be where she could be guarded. She had been in her third trimester when she had finally told him exactly what he could do with his suggestions and worries. She had been the only person to ever speak to him like that—all courage and fire. He had tolerated it, worried that in her outrage something would happen to her or the child.

May awoke to the locks being thrown and yelped, wrapping the sheet around her and slamming the bedroom door. Grabbing her clothes, she leapt into the pants and tank top and then cautiously peeked out the door. A fresh tray was on the counter, along with a few more catalogues. Breakfast seemed even more solitary than usual since apparently she could not even speak to whoever it was coming and going. She ate slowly, enjoying it all as long as she could before settling down again with magazines and catalogues.

The new mom package from Dr. Ken was mixed in and she took her time looking through the informative sheets and papers. The coupons and gym membership discounts she went ahead and threw away—there was no point keeping them. The "Healthy Mom Grocery List" she looked through and put on the counter since not even magnets were in this place. The sheets showing stretches and exercises were amusing and she pulled them out into a pile.

Of course, there were a thousand and three coupons for formula, discounts on overpriced diaper bags, and bottles of every description. She frowned, looking at an ad claiming that its brand of formula was best for digestion. Would he even listen to her if she wanted to breast feed? What if she was discarded once the child was born? She sighed, feeling the room spin a bit as her mind went blank. She had to believe in the plan. She had to believe in the turtles and in Master Splinter. No matter what.

The rest of the day was no better, crawling by as she tried to pick out things in the catalogues. Whoever came in with lunch paid her no attention as she ignored them and tried to think if the crib and the changing table could fit along the back wall. She ate lunch mechanically, drinking the milk without enjoying it. Dinner was a remarkable vegetable and mushroom risotto. She went through four sets of five repetitions of each exercise. It was not graceful or more purposeful than passing the time, but it seemed to get her muscles loose.

The next morning, she picked at breakfast, feeling stir crazy. She did more of the exercises, finally losing count. When she stopped, she felt slick and sticky and, mercifully, tired. She bathed quickly, finally annoyed that there was no shower, and took a nap. Lunch arrived while she slept and the sun sank lower on the horizon.

It was dinner coming in that woke her up. Groggy, she looked around and saw it was evening. Cursing, she stood up and went to the other room. Of course, her lunch was untouched and the tray was replaced with a supper tray on the counter. She frowned, cursing again. What kind of trouble would she be in for sleeping through a meal? She opened the tray and saw it was more of the macaroni and cheese casserole with more fresh fruit. She groaned inwardly thinking of the untouched tray, debating if she could blame it on morning sickness.

Surprisingly, the next day passed pretty much the same. She would pace the apartment, go through the catalogues and do the exercises. But the time crawled by, broken only by the meals arriving and, an added bonus, a cycle of fresh towels. When the third day passed, she resigned herself to her solitary state and tried to sing to herself to keep herself going.

During lunch on the fourth day, she was picking at the fruit bowl and thinking about what she would do for a pizza. Truthfully, she was ready for just about any form of fast-food or grease she could get. Healthy eating was all well and good, but she might go crazy if she didn't get some baked cheese and tomato goodness. She had done more exercises than usual because it passed the time and was again slick and sticky with sweat. She had hunted all over for a thermostat, but had not found one. She had a hand towel to wipe her face and felt absolutely wrung out.

The door lock clicked and hissed unexpectedly. May stood up wearily and turned to go back to the bedroom. She'd hate to provoke anything or anyone by daring to be pleasant. Then the room felt electric and she turned around slowly.

Of course, he was examining her closely. She cursed in her head—he would show up when she looked her worst. A black sleeved arm pushed in a box and the door closed. She swallowed heavily and reached for her bottle of water.

"You have been pushing too hard," he observed silkily.

She didn't dare shrug. Instead she looked down at her hands on the counter and the water bottle there. "I'm sorry," she muttered.

"Drink," he ordered. "The entire bottle."

She couldn't refuse, so she drank the entire bottle of water. She put the empty in the sink and washed her hands and splashed a little water on her face. She toweled her face clean, feeling marginally better.

"You have been doing well," he started curiously. There was a strange lilt to his voice, almost as though he had not expected it. "And as promised, I will reward you."

She looked at him with wide-eyed confusion. "T-thank you."

He gestured towards the box and she gingerly stepped around the counter. It was some unfamiliar store, but that was hardly new since she couldn't remember the last time she bought clothes. She picked up the box and put it on the counter. He reached out from behind her and sliced open the packing tape with a deft stroke.

"Put these on," he ordered as she opened the box.

She gasped at the lovely clothes. She picked up a pair of pants in a softly glittering, stretchy black fabric and a wine colored top with a ribbon sash. She wanted to dig deeper, but didn't dare while he was watching. She turned towards the bedroom, but stopped when he grunted, shook his head and smirked at her. Flushing, she took off the tank and slid on the top. Then she dropped her pants and slid into the new ones.

Turning around, she twisted to see how it fit. The fabric was soft and felt luxurious compared to the increasingly ragged clothes she had been in. Glancing up at him, she guessed that he approved since he didn't seem to fly into a rage. "Thank you," she said cautiously. "They are lovely."

He approached her slowly, taking up the ribbon sash. Then with a whip quick movement, he had it wrapped around her wrists. "Just remember that you are mine." And with another movement, he released her wrists.

She stared at him. "What do you want from me?!" she asked, her voice cracking.

He laughed, quietly and in a low tone. "Whatever I want, whenever I want it." He pulled a little at the neckline of the top. "And right now I want you to remain compliant and healthy." He smiled sadistically at her. "Although if I am forced to make a choice, I will take healthy and...arrange your compliance."

She couldn't hold his gaze and looked down, suddenly feeling ashamed. "Do I get to ask you things?"

"Such as?"

She fingered the blouse, testing the stretchiness of the fabric. "Do you want me to breastfeed? Would that please you?"

He chuckled. "It would very much—if you are able." His voice dropped another, chilling octave. "And especially if I get to...watch."

She smiled weakly and nodded. "I think that breastfeeding is best for the child."

He paused, his eyes narrowing. "We are agreed."

She paused again, wondering if she dared say more. Cautiously, she reached into the box and pulled out two more tops and another pair of pants. She folded them silently on the counter. "Thank you...again."

He seemed to smile at her, although it was hard to tell with his armor and helmet on. He approached her slowly. "I had thought that you deserved to get out a bit, but I find that you have pushed yourself too hard." She glanced up nervously at him and her hands suddenly shook. "I will have to correct that I think."

She protested, "No...I promise. I'll ease off." At his sharp look, she bit her tongue—literally-and looked away.

"No more than 20 of each exercise."

"O-o-okay." She nodded nervously. "Is there...anything else?"

"I don't think you're ready for that," he sighed. "But there is a lunar eclipse tonight, if you wish to watch it." She smiled unexpectedly. "With me."

She swallowed and nodded. He gestured for her to go out the door and herded her deftly into the suite across the hall. The lights were entirely off, leaving the room darkly shadowed. She let him guide her where she was supposed to go and was surprised to see that he was taking her to the patio door of his suite and no further.

"The eclipse will begin a few minutes," he hissed, coming up behind her. She dutifully gazed at the sky, looking at the moon over the city. "So why don't we talk? Perhaps about why the rat and his freaks have not pursued you yet?"

She would have whirled around angrily, but his hands were already gripping her forearms from behind. She jerked angrily in his grasp and then settled again. There was no use fighting him—he was far too strong. And too skilled. And too fast. "I don't know—"

"I am not a fool, little girl. I know that you lived with him and his turtles." A cool pause, then he continued. "I know that the rat was aware of your pregnancy—enough to steal."

She nodded slowly. "As much as I was sick, I was surprised I was allowed to stay." She felt her eyes watering and jerked in his grip again. "So was that why Karai came?"

"She served her purpose," he hissed, tightening his grip on her arms until she gasped. "Be careful I don't think the same of you."

She nodded weakly, looking up at the moon and down at the city. He released her suddenly and she rubbed the bruises on her arms. They stood in silence, with her in front and him behind, waiting for the eclipse. She looked up tearfully at the moon, praying that, some day, Splinter and the turtles would come for her.

Saki looked at her and the moon in turns. She was so still and quiet, it was difficult to believe that she was not going to faint any second. Shen never fainted—even when she had a rat run over her foot one evening on one of her late night sweet-potato fry runs or when baby Karai had eaten a cricket. Of course, Shen never would have stood here with him either, waiting on the eclipse.

Shen would have pulled over a seat and begun folding laundry, writing lists, handling Yoshi's bookkeeping, sewing or a hundred other things. She was constantly on the move, doing something. She never made time to just be still for a moment—at least, not with him. He wondered, at times, if she put Yoshi's company in her daily schedule book sometime between dinner and dishes or if Yoshi was allowed to interrupt her busy-ness.

For a moment, he thought that he hated her.

So now he had this little one. He liked her name better than her nickname. Sakura meant "cherry blossom" and fit her fine, healthy glow. It was difficult because a part of him wanted her to fill all the lonely and empty places that Shen had left and to be the dutiful, pretty wife who followed his lead and allowed him the liberties no one else had. It was most difficult to find focus and balance and be centered when some part wanted to take a few weeks and actively see if he could mold her into his other half like a sculptor would mold a piece of clay to match another.

He knew every trick of persuasion, every subtle way to influence someone else, every way to pressure them into doing his bidding. Of course, the baby limited what he could do—he could hardly withhold food or water from his child—but he could find infinite other ways to coerce her. Of course, that unmanageable stallion side of him liked this—that she was available and under his absolute control. After Shen's death, he had not looked at another woman until he had decided to teach a stubborn old man not to defy his wishes by exploiting his one weakness in his daughter.

So, to discipline that side of him, he had refused to visit her for several days. He had fasted and trained, waiting for his mind to be emptied of all the want and all the desire. This was entirely an arrangement of convenience. And apparently even the freaks knew it too since they had not approached his headquarters since she had disappeared. He was the means to deliver the child, and then they would come for them both and he would be ready for them.

So that left her, alone, in his keeping. She was taking care of herself—staying clean and eating healthy foods (not that he gave her much of a choice) and exercising. She had read her magazines cover to cover several times. It was a heady thing to be in control over the woman that Hamato Yoshi had protected, perhaps even wanted for himself. In fact, that would be even better, if Yoshi wanted her. Like a sweet bauble or treat held out of reach of a young child, it was a teasing reminder that she was no longer there. He almost laughed at the thought. She would likely never desire him, but she had no choice but to obey if she wanted her child delivered.

Then a soft sigh caught his attention. She was watching the moon with her full attention, her breath catching a little as it slowly turned darker and almost red. He suppressed the laugh in his chest as she watched like a young child. Curious, he silently backed away a step or two—close enough to catch her should she decide to turn on him, but far enough to make that a tempting thought. Instead of whirling and running like a frightened deer or fighting like a spitting kitten, she stayed there, watching the eclipse slowly fade and the moon return to its normal glistening silver. He was almost proud of her for just standing there and watching. She put a hand on her belly and wiped her eyes, but then returned to bask in the moonlight like a lizard would bask in the sunlight. He waited a few moments more and then led her back to her suite and locked her inside.

He was beginning to like his captive, and that was a most foolish mistake. He sighed heavily, dreading the thought of more fasting and more training to bring himself under his own control again. When his mind wandered, wondering what it would be like to have her like him in return, he trained some more, patiently working every muscle until it was unbearably sore and his whole body ached. Yet, when he finally let himself sleep, he was almost amazed that his dreams were filled with a baby boy's sounds, rather than the dead Shen's accusations.


	12. Chapter 11

The next evening, he found her in the spare room. She was concentrating hard and he was content to quietly watch her. In brilliant blue ink, she had sketched a hot air balloon with an intricate basket underneath it carrying a teddy bear and a patchwork cat. She had not finished it, but the bear was done and the cat had a plumed hat tilted at a rakish angle over one eye. She leaned against the wall, concentrating on shading the bear's hand. The pen skipped and she cursed, shaking it angrily. It was obviously about out of ink.

She stepped back from the drawing, looking up at the balloon and nibbling on the bottom of the pen. Then she flicked a glance along the wall as though to measure it. He smirked as she suddenly noticed him, jerking backward and almost falling down. She flushed darkly, hiding her pen behind her back. "I-I-I am...sorry."

He looked at the drawing, the lines disappearing where she couldn't reach. He debated if it were worth giving her a stool to finish it. "I see that I am not keeping you properly entertained."

She looked at the drawing with him, the pen reappearing and tapping on her bottom lip as she studied it. "It's been...fun." She grimaced shyly at him. "And I have only done 20 of each exercise."

He nodded. "Then we will walk." He led her to the hallway and they began pacing in silence. He measured the distance in steps, taking deep breaths and clearing his mind. Someone came up the elevator and disappeared into her suite with a rolling cart loaded down with fresh towels in a laundry basket, another tiny bottle of shampoo and conditioner, more bottles of water and orange juice. On their next lap, whoever it was came back out with the dirty towels and some bags of trash.

He reminded himself to keep breathing, deep breaths coming in and out. She apparently had no burning questions or comments, and continued to try to keep pace with him. Smirking, he sped up and she began almost jogging to keep up with him. Back at her end of the hall, she was panting and paused at her door. He glanced at her, not even winded. She frowned, panting in the air-conditioned air. He gestured across the hall and she nodded, following him. The room was only dimly lit by the sunset and she went to sit down on a stool in his kitchen. He brought out a bottle of water, watching her carefully as she drank it.

She was starting to accept his orders without complaint or comment, which pleased him. Shen almost never accepted his orders without having something to say about it, a fact which had amused Yoshi immensely. He let her sit on the stool quietly and fished out a pair of pens from a kitchen drawer. Walking up to her, he was amused that she was apparently studying his kitchen intently. "The kitchen knives are sharp, but I will not be so easily dispatched. You'd never get out of here."

She jerked a bit and stared at him in confusion. "I was admiring the kitchen. It looks like one of those television kitchens where they almost always make some elaborate dish that looks too good to eat. And they always make it look so effortless like any idiot should be able to do it." She sighed cynically. "Besides, I already know that I am no match for you—there is no question about that." She shrugged, glancing away. "Sorry for admiring your kitchen too much."

He almost chuckled. "Perhaps that will be one of your rewards one day."

She looked at him bitterly and cynically. "Yeah. Promises, promises." She stood up sadly and walked to the door. Pausing, she glanced at him sideways and said, "Thanks for the walk." She swallowed heavily. "Sorry that I'm such bad company tonight."

"Stop," he ordered softly, pleased when she stopped in the hall. Following her and palming the pens, he followed her. "Explain."

She bit into her knuckle. "Look, I'm just really bad company today. Hormones are killing me right now." When he didn't move, she took in a ragged breath. "It's my dad. He..." She shrugged again helplessly. "He wanted a son more than anything. I was a severe disappointment, no matter what I did. He always said that his past life must have been filled with sin to have been burdened with me.

"I wanted to be a nurse, but he said it was a bad investment to educate a girl who was only going to be married. So I said that I'd learn to cook and clean if I could keep going to school. And every day he'd promise that someday he'd send me to school if I would just work a little harder at home."

She felt the hot, angry tears falling down her cheeks. "It's just funny. You set me free of him and I could have gone anywhere and studied anything..." Sobbing into her hand, she continued. "I took his favorite pen from his desk one day and drew all over the walls of my bedroom. I drew a kitchen and a garden and a treehouse. He was more livid that I had used his favorite fountain pen and it was empty rather than the walls. He just told me that he expected no better from an uneducated girl and that my husband would have a hard time with me.

"And you are exactly what he thought I needed—someone to take me in hand and teach me to be a proper wife who cooked and cleaned and never complained and had sons. Although I shouldn't complain, I guess, since he said that I'd probably have to be beaten daily."

Saki was stunned at the old man's attitude. He had educated Karai, giving her private tutors and lessons. Shen had been well educated, with a college degree in business administration. A well educated woman was a benefit to a man, especially to a man who dealt in information and strategy. Restless and uneasy, he put a hand on her shoulder.

She batted it away and, before he could blink, a finger scraped one of the elaborate hand guards. She squeaked and clapped her other hand around it. Grunting, he pulled her back into his apartment and cleaned and bandaged the wound. She didn't say another word, only looked out the window and letting the last—he hoped—of the tears slide down her cheeks. He supposed it was fortunate that she only grazed the blades, rather than getting seriously cut.

She didn't seem to be in a hurry to leave and he smiled a little to himself. Again, with the lightest of pressures and gentle nudges, he led her to the sitting area. She sat down without complaint, almost as though she didn't register where she was in his bedroom. He stood watching her for a moment, unsure whether or not he trusted her enough to remove his elaborate armor or not. She sat there and shivered one more time before simply leaning back into the couch and closing her eyes.

The ungovernable side of him whooped and shouted like a youth that he had her in his bedroom. He frowned for a moment, restless again in his hot, heavy armor and annoyed that any part of him wanted to make more of this than it was—a few moments to make sure that she was stable enough, physically and emotionally, to be sent back to her suite. He vaguely remembered Yoshi saying that Shen had moments of irrationality, but she was always so prickly to him that he could not tell. Irritated, he flung the pens in her lap and she sat up suddenly with a gasp.

"Go back," he ordered, gesturing to the door.

She looked at him curiously and then at the pens in her lap. Muttering a soft thank you, she nodded and went. He began unbuckling and unwrapping the heavy armor and setting it aside on its stand. The hand guard he took to the kitchen and washed, then bleached and dried. Annoying thing, really—she had to have known that the guards were there. Stupid girl—maybe her father had been right about her.

He spent the next two days away from her, refusing to even do more than glance at the camera feeds. She ate her meals standing at the counter, did her exercises regularly even if she did manage a few more than his prescription, stretched and lunged to keep her legs strong, and worked on her wall. The basket and bear and cat were complete and the balloon now had fluttery flags on it and a rope with a dog hanging on. Small clumps of flowers were sketched in, along with a stand of what could be a stand of bamboo with a panda sitting happily. He trained hard and meditated to forget her as much as he could. He even tried fasting again, but found that only sharpened his appetite to see what she would say about her meals. Instead, he waged war against the turtles, spending long hours with maps devising traps and strategy. His sweat stung his eyes and his scars, and his muscles ached, but he pressed on. It was when he was staring at a map and realized he was wondering if he would have to keep her locked up if he managed to destroy the freaks that he realized that he had been foolish. Absence and discipline had only managed to make him more eager to take her out of her room.

Realizing that he had reached his limit—not to mention that her doctor's appointment was soon—he picked up the box he had kept in his suite. She was stretching when he came in, her ankle on the counter and she was bending over it like a ballet dancer in her original tube top and her new stretchy pants. She looked up at him and stood up, sheepishly taking her foot off the counter.

"Are you supposed to be doing that?" he asked her softly.

She colored and bowed her head, suddenly ashamed that she had pulled on the old tank top to exercise in. "I was trying to loosen up. I'm getting stiff—"

"Then you will appreciate what we are doing next," he said, dropping the box on the table.

He gestured to her patiently and she came around to stand in front of him. He cut open the box with a deft swipe, feeling relieved she did not seem inclined to either flinch away or to test his blades again. As she gingerly opened the box, he leaned a hair closer to her and was gratified to feel her body's warmth.

She pulled out the shoes, smiling as she put them aside. Then she pulled out something that looked like a smart watch. She looked at it curiously, glancing over her shoulder at him in confusion.

He slowly reached around her and snapped it on her wrist. The face lit up, showing her heart rate and the time. He smiled and tapped it, flicking through the reminders for her to see her doctor, take vitamins, and so on. "I am testing you...Sakura." He put a hand on her shoulder to pull her ear close. "This is set to alarm if it should ever come off or if it should lose your heartbeat. In addition, it is set—by me—to allow you to open doors or to lock you inside if I choose."

She looked at it curiously as a reminder flicked up on the tiny screen telling her to drink a glass of water. She tapped the watch hesitantly and the reminder vanished.

"This will allow me to keep complete track of you, no matter how far you think you can go." She nodded a little. He backed up and gestured towards the door, allowing her to go first. Then he guided her to the stairwell. "None of the doors except this one will open for you, but feel free to try them."

She opened the door, peering into the empty stairwell. Hesitantly, she stepped inside, glancing nervously behind her as he followed her onto the landing. He gestured down the stairs. "Climb down and up one flight."

She nodded with a curious look that plainly said she was humoring him. Then she started down the stairs. He smiled as he heard her try the door below and then curse as her watch beeped and the door remain locked. Leaning against the door, he reached into his pocket and as she climbed up, showed her a foil-wrapped chocolate kiss.

May could not help but smile at the crazy situation. She was being ordered to climb stairs by a man in heavy armor who was giving her a piece of chocolate when she came back. Hesitantly, she took the candy and then gobbled it. Chocolate had never tasted so good as it melted in her mouth.

"Again."

She wandered back down the stairs, trying to keep the chocolate flavor in her mouth as much as possible. There was no point in trying the doors, so she turned around and headed up. Her thighs were beginning to burn as she climbed the stairs—it had been too long. Then, to her amazement, he held out another chocolate. This time she opened it and began nibbling it, turning to head back down as he gestured towards the stairs one more time.

The chocolate lasted until she was at the landing and looking up at him. She cocked her head and then realized what he held out to her this time—a package of fine artist's pens. She ran to the top to try to grab them, and he pulled them back and held up a hand like he was directing traffic. She stopped, puzzled, and then walked the rest of the way at his signal.

At the top, he dropped the pens into her hands casually and opened the door. She went through, her eyes alight at the pens. The last two had gone fast because she had begun coloring in the panda and finally this was something new. Then she stopped for a moment, and looked at him. "Why are you doing this?"

He smirked at her and said nothing.

"Why? Why are you being so kind to me?" She looked down sorrowfully at the pens. "I don't understand what you want."

"I want your continued cooperation," he said stiffly.

She nodded and finally looked up at him and smiled. "I... Thank you. I can't tell you how much completing the drawing means to me."

He smiled back at her and gestured for her to go to his suite. She went in, staring at the pens and for a moment, he thought the pens meant more to her than just about anything. He closed the door behind them, allowing it to lock. "Now, I mean to do one more thing..." He paused meaningfully, allowing her to look at him fully in the dim apartment. He had left the lights off except for a light further back in his bathroom. He, of course, knew every thing about these rooms—where every stick of furniture was and every hidden weapon. But there was a pleasant anticipation to see what she would do in the dim and shadowed place.

"Stand up," he gritted out, pleased when she did. With silent steps, he was again behind her. He allowed one blade to gently scrape her skin. "I advise you not to move."

He felt her nod and he reached around her, his hands gliding along her waist. She shivered violently, clutching the pens to her chest. "Shhh," he whispered, plucking them and setting them on his counter. "You'll get them back. Just...be still."

His hands went around her again, pushing her gently back against his chest. The top of her head came to just under the mouthplate of his helmet. He guided her arms down to her sides, feeling her tremble. Grinning madly, he slid his hands up to her shoulders and then with a flick of his wrist he slit the seam of her tank top.

She gasped, pushing back against him instinctively and he caught her arms before they had gone above her waist. "Shhhh," he whispered again. "Still... You wouldn't want to get cut again, would you?"

She shook her head, sucking in a panicked breath. Slowly, his hands came up her arms and then began sliding around her waist again. Then, as suddenly as they started, they stopped, resting on the swell of her belly. His hands felt as hot as fire against her skin and goosebumps prickled up all over. She sucked in a steadying breath and concentrated on the oniyuri she was going to do in one corner of her drawing. But as he stood there, still as a statue, she slowly relaxed.

He let out a soft breath he didn't realize he was holding. He remembered his first time going to stables. He had been left alone with the tethered mare in her stall as his teacher had gone to fetch a saddle. The mare's coat had rippled under his timid hands and she stomped heavily with a fierce snort at the unfamiliar boy in her territory. But as he continued to stroke her, she had relaxed, her ears flicking forward and even at last leaning into his touch. Sakura—he loathed her nickname—was like that mare. She was willing to be cooperative, if not exactly willing to please yet. They both responded best to slow touches, low and firm commands, a measure of consistency and patience.

Her belly was warm under his touch and he found that he liked that it curved well into his palms. She could not see him smiling in male triumph in the darkness. Pressing further, he let his hands drift up to her breasts. He slid his fingertips under the worn tank, feeling the beginning fullness. Sliding further, his gauntlets sliced the tank almost all the way across and he could weigh them in each hand. She shifted a bit restlessly—rather like Shen had a habit of doing when she wasn't sure what exactly she was supposed to be doing at the moment—and he paused, but he did not release her flesh. Then, he let one hand slide back down to rest on her belly. Staying like that in the dark was peculiarly pleasing and he chose not to try to figure out why.

In a few moments, he saw a blue-white light flicker in his bedroom. He gently squeezed her again—strangely fulfilled at feeling where his child was growing. Then he released her. She stood still for a moment in her confusion, almost surprised that he had done nothing more. Yet, he put the tips of his fingers on her waist and gently pressed her forward, guiding her to the door. She fumbled in the dark for the package of pens and dropped them with a soft moan. Of course he caught them and pushed them into her hands. She whimpered softly, clutching the pens as he unlocked his door and guided her to her own suite. Locking her inside again, he sighed angrily as he went back to his tablet and the three emails that were waiting for him.

May leaned against the door as soon as she got inside, feeling the vibration as the door locked. Suddenly the tears slid down her cheeks and she tossed the pens to the counter. With a choked sob, she slid the remains of the tank top off and slid on a top that he had bought her. Her entire chest was aching—her flesh suddenly too prickly and sensitive as it stretched to accommodate her new curves and her heart breaking into pieces.

She saw the pens on the counter and threw them in the trash, sobbing violently. She pounded the counter angrily and buried her face in her hands. Everything was wrong. She should never have believed that she could do this. She never should have tried. She never, ever should have left Splinter's side and if she ever, ever, ever got back she would never, ever, ever, ever leave him again. She would never leave and she would be safe.

She went to the bedroom, pulling off the clothes and dropping them on the bed. Sighing, she ran a tub of warm water and took out the soap and a washcloth. She shuddered violently in the warm water and soaped the cloth. Scrubbing, she started with her toes and up her legs, then she got to the swell in her belly. She took a deep breath and wiped the cloth across her stomach. The roughness felt rewardingly harsh. She pressed harder, scrubbing her sin and cowardice away.

She was supposed to be with Splinter. He was safe. He would be a sane and rational father to her child and keep them safe. She took a ragged breath. She did love Splinter, loved the way that his breath always seemed to smell of comforting black tea, the way he was strong and yet had the softest of fur. She did love how he was always kind and gentle with her. He was the one who was supposed to be touching her growing curves and delighting in them with her.

She rubbed the cloth against her breasts, rewarded by the sting of the oversensitive flesh. She rubbed harder, liking the vicious feel of sanding her skin.

She had thought about it, logically and rationally, and told them to wait until spring to come for her. She had thought about nothing else the long night as she waited for Karai to decide to stay forever or to leave. She had written the letters before that, while she was waiting for them to finish training one day, but had not decided to bring them out. She had told herself that she would be fine. Donatello would deliver the child with Splinter there and Leo keeping the others busy. She had told herself she was being overly dramatic and hormonal crazy, but she had written them anyway mainly to stop herself from thinking the words.

Then she had looked at Karai. Karai was healthy and strong. Her pale skin glowed with good health and her lithe body was strong and flexible. Even her hands had seemed different, since May's were dry and chapped from scrubbing and cleaning and her nails were constantly broken scraping up Lord only knew what from wherever the turtles had been. Karai probably could have done it laying on the lab table, but May had panicked.

She was not strong like Karai. She was not fast or limber or nearly so clever. She wanted a real doctor to be there, just in case something went wrong. She wanted real food that wasn't pizza or whatever could be salvaged and heated up so that her baby was strong and healthy. She wanted...she wanted...she wanted too much.

She lay back in the tub, the cloth dropping from her hands and her entire torso a bright pink from the vigorous scrubbing. She was such a coward that the tears kept coming down her cheeks and dropping softly into the water. She threw the soap, startled to hear the clank of the heavy watch thing on her wrist.

She looked at it. Of course, it was waterproof and apparently locked on her wrist. Bastard thought of everything. She tapped it restlessly and every digital button seemed to require a password. It beeped at her again, a message popping up and reminding her to drink some water before bedtime. Growling, she stood up and toweled off. Picking up the clothes again, she got dressed and went to bed, praying for dreams of warm, furry arms holding her gently.

The next day, she got up and dressed, rinsing her clothes in her tub. She went to the kitchen to find a breakfast of fruit and eggs and toast. Her watch beeped, reminding her of her exercises. She did them patiently, liking the sudden feel of of time and schedules. Back in the kitchen, she took a long drink of water and when she went to toss the cup, she saw the pens in the trash can.

Mechanically, she picked the package of pens up and dusted them off. They seemed to be nice pens. Shrugging, she went back to the empty room and tore open the pens. Going to an empty corner, she drew the long, thin stems of the tigerlily. Each dot was precisely placed and slowly filled in. There was a bare spot between the lilies and the edge of the closet door. She began another long line, but somehow, it didn't look like a stem. It looked like something else entirely. She continued drawing, finding the line became the seam in a pair of loose pants. Giggling—her panda wore trousers and her cat had a hat and a handkerchief after all—she continued. The pants had a loose belt because it covered a careless mark made when she sneezed. Her hand shook a little as she continued and it looked like a soft pelt. Smiling and humming a soft, sad song, she kept drawing. Strong arms with firm muscles crossed the chest and then the striped face took up most of the afternoon.

Almost surprised, she looked at the tiger in the corner. He was cocky and confident with his strong arms across his chest and a smile that managed to look both irritatingly smug and welcoming. He grinned with half his mouth and his ears were alert and forward. The tail curved upward in a way that seemed naturally calm, almost a smile by itself.

May wandered to the kitchen and got some water, turned off the beeping reminder on her watch, and drank it gratefully. Going back to her tiger, she flicked in some delicate whiskers. The face seemed to dare anything to mess with him. Smirking back at the friendly face, she drew a curve that was going to be his sword, strapped to his back.

The door locks clicked and her lights suddenly went out. The tiger vanished before her and she carefully put down the pen. It was easy enough to feel the wall and go to the kitchen. She glanced at the watch—it was after 10 at night, so there were no meals expected and no one was supposed to come in.

So what on earth was going on?


	13. Chapter 12

In the kitchen was the huge form she was half-expecting. He grunted at her, gesturing in some shadowy way. He seemed somehow a bit smaller than normal as she approached him gingerly. He seemed to sway a bit and as soon as she was close enough, he drew her to the kitchen counter. She half expected some box to be there as he settled her back to his chest, but there was nothing there.

Instead, he put her hands firmly on the table, pushing down slightly. May gasped a little, but did not dare move as a blade glinted softly in the weak light of her watch. With agonizing slowness, his hands moved back behind her. May closed her eyes tightly, cringing at the unfamiliar sounds of metal clicking and leather creaking.

Something heavy was set on the counter. Her eyes snapped open and she saw the dim outline of his helmet on the counter. One hand guard clattered beside the helmet and she gasped, but that hand quickly found the back of her neck and she found she didn't even dare to breathe, let alone move.

The other guard landed on the counter and again his hands were on hers. He grunted softly, his voice still deep but without the metallic reverberation of the helmet. He pushed down again on her hands then patted them like a master would pat the head of an obedient dog.

May felt tears forming and gasped as one hand locked around one wrist and the other one gently drifted up her arm to her shoulder and then to her face. Like the kiss of a butterfly, his warm fingertips, gently closed her eyes.

"Stay like that," he whispered hoarsely.

She nodded quickly. Whatever this game was, it terrified her. She screwed her eyes shut tightly, tossing her head back to shrug some hair out of her face. Her head hit his chest and she jerked, but he didn't seem to notice.

The hand at her eyes only slid down a tear stained cheek and then to her shoulder. Slowly, he wrapped his arm over her chest to hold her other shoulder. The hand at her wrists let go and that arm wrapped around her waist.

They stood like that for minutes or hours. His head tilted and she felt his breath in the hair at her nape. His breaths were heavy and hoarse and every so often, she felt him squeeze her tightly against him. Once or twice, he seemed about to say something, but fell silent before the words came out. He squeezed her again, resting his chin on her head and then turning his cheek to the top of her head.

She gasped for some air, hoping to make no movement or sound to disrupt this stillness. A tear tickled down her cheek and hit his hand. He twitched a little, but squeezed her gently again. Her hands ached but she didn't dare drop them to her sides. His arm shifted and pushed on her chin, leaning her head back against his chest and then dropped to the comfortable spot across her chest.

Some other stupid alert sounded on her watch and she wobbled to turn the beeping off. Instead, the lower hand tapped the band, silencing it and then came back to rest above her stomach and push one arm down to her side. It drifted up to close her eyelids again and then went back to rest on her stomach.

She drew in a deep breath, shuddering. He felt the shudder and slid even closer around her. She could feel every tense muscle in his chest draw even tighter. The hand on her shoulder twisted and long, lean fingers tangled in her hair. The hand on her belly trembled and tightened.

May took in shallow pants, alarmed. Very slowly, trying to believe he would tell her not to move if he didn't want her to move, she slid her free hand up to the arm around her chest. It was massively muscled like some overbuilt movie star's with too smooth skin that was sticky and salty with sweat. Only a few hairs dusted the forearm which shuddered again at her touch.

He stepped closer, pinning her to the counter against him. She drew in a deep breath, smelling the salt of sweat, the scent of smoke, and the tang of something else. Her eyes drifted halfway open and then closed again at the sight of the glowing watch highlighting the glistening muscles flecked with specks of something dark.

Swallowing, she took a deep breath and asked softly, "What has...happened?"

The man behind her shuddered, drawing her closer to him and wrapping his arms tighter around her. Her mind whirled with possibilities, each one more horrifying than the last. She wanted to fight him, to shriek and scream and make him leave her alone. She wanted him to speak and tell her what on earth had happened. Was something wrong? Were the turtles and Splinter all right? Was April captured? Was-—?

"Karai," he said into her hair.

Her mind froze. Karai? What about Karai? What had she done? Had she done something stupid? Had she defied him in some way? And who cared about Karai? She would be fine—she could take care of herself. Had Karai harmed the turtles? For a moment, a welcome flash of anger rose. If Karai had hurt them, she'd—!

"Karai is...gone." He squeezed her tightly, the hand on her stomach shivering. May took in a shuddering breath, her tears overflowing on his arm. His hand gripped her stomach at once tightly and gently, locking against itself to save her child from harm. "The rat is at fault."

"What?" May's eyes popped open in surprise. "But..."

"His cursed turtles did it," Shredder growled into her nape, nuzzling her hair. "They knocked her into..." He shuddered again, gripping her tighter against him. He let his lower hand unlock and stroke her stomach gently. "She is gone." He pressed fully against her, his breath hissing in and out. "I will make them pay for that." His hand rubbed the swell of her belly in a way that was almost soothing except for the fact that every other muscle in his body was tense. "They will all pay and we will be safe."

May croaked out, "Safe?"

"Safe from them," he whispered. "Safe from all of them."

"W-wh-what about Karai?"

His whole body went still. "We will find her. There must be a cure, a way to bring her back." He sighed, resting his chin on her head again. "I have the ninja out now, hunting her." He sighed heavily. "The lab downstairs was almost destroyed, but luckily that was several floors down below the surface and you both are up here." He pressed against her again. "I will not let them harm either of you."

May's mind whirled into blankness as she tried to form a response. "W-w-we are fine." That seemed safe enough to say and was apparently along the right track because his arms relaxed somewhat. "You can see—feel we are fine."

He nodded slowly, his fingers curled around her hair. "I will make them all pay," he whispered softly.

"I'm so sorry about Karai," she whispered guiltily. Her first thought had been the turtles, then Splinter, finally April but not at all about Karai. She let a few tears slip out for whatever had happened to the other woman. Guilt washed over her, and she wrapped her hand unsteadily around his arm to squeeze it gently.

He nodded and stepped back, releasing her. With slightly unsteady hands, he picked up his helmet and gauntlets and left without a word, locking the door behind him.

May stood there still for a few moments, feeling the blood rush to her feet. Dizzily, she leaned against the counter. The turtles had been here—here!—and she had not even known until they were gone. She bit her lip hard, pounding on the smooth counter with a fist. She staggered to the bedroom with tears streaming out of her eyes and blinding her. She dropped to the futon lifelessly and laid down. She could not help but weeping—she missed them all, wished that they had seen even a glimpse of her to know that she was all right. Her nails clawed the sheets beneath the pillow as she wept.

May awoke the next morning on top of her futon without a very clear idea how she got there. Her mouth tasted foul and for a few moments, she could still smell sweat and smoke. Staggering up, she went to the bathroom to brush her teeth and clean up.

Stepping outside the bedroom, she blearily looked around to find her breakfast tray. With any luck, there was grapefruit or cranberry juice to take the foul taste out of her mouth. Instead, there was a paper bag on her counter. Surprised, she looked inside to find groceries—a tiny package of 6 hard boiled eggs, a bag of bakery rolls, a plastic jar of jelly, a jar of prenatal vitamins, and two frozen dinners that could be warmed up in her oven. Frowning, she put her groceries away.

She ate two eggs and some toast and went back to her drawing. Predictably, notices came over on her watch to drink water, take her vitamins, get up and stretch and other such notifications. May found herself talking to the watch as it beeped and pinged. She took some time to exercise, but found that her heart was not in it. Guilt plagued her—she had not even thought about what might have happened to Karai.

The next day, another pile of groceries appeared, along with a magnetic pad with a cartoon dog on it labeled "Grocery List". Smirking, she filled every line with all manner of ingredients: butter, cream, lasagna, pizza crust, mushrooms, ginger ale, parmesan cheese, cinnamon rolls, chocolate bars, garlic, ginger, noodles, Italian dressing, pork chops, mashed potatoes, and on and on. May chuckled and put the list on the refrigerator. Drawing took up some time as she thought of recipes and consulted the grocery list that Dr. Ken had given her, but she grew more and more restless. The frozen dinner was bland and tasteless and she only picked at it, ending up throwing most of it away. The panda was finished and she went to bed early, hoping for a quiet night.

The next day went quietly as well. She added some butterflies to the flowers, a few bees. A brief notice came through that she was allowed to do 25 of each exercise. She did them slowly, enjoying feeling her muscles move. The list was missing from the refrigerator. When she was done, she washed her face and glanced up in surprise at her reflection. Her hair was shiny and thick, her skin had that peculiar luminous quality that mothers seemed to have, and she seemed healthy. Her wine top made her look very nice and skimmed over her in a becoming way. Her hands were not really pampered soft, but not chapped anymore. She looked very well, albeit a hair strained.

She wondered at what happened to Karai. The explosion or whatever had not even rattled the windows, making her wonder what had happened or if it had happened in some other building or wing. Truthfully, every time she looked out her patio door, she was impressed at how big this building was.

The third day, after she had eaten the last of the hard boiled eggs, she went back to her drawing. The tiger seemed as good a place as any and she sat and stared at it, trying to remember what the line over his shoulder was supposed to be. The door locks opened and she kept staring, assuming that it was another delivery of groceries. She had actually opened her last bottle of orange juice this morning. Shuddering, she kept focusing on her drawing.

"So you are hiding in here?" Shredder's voice echoed in the empty room. May spun around and looked up at him. He was again in full armor, watching her with amusement. He walked up behind her—so close she could touch him if she dared. "And is this the latest addition?"

"The tiger," she nodded, her throat growing dry. "He seems to like that corner, so I let him stay."

"The tiger guarding the lilies?" Shredder mused, squatting down a little to look closer at the drawing. "I am flattered."

May looked at the tiger's smug face and then back at the Shredder. "Flattered?"

"I am a Tiger," he said in amusement and May finally realized he was referring to the eastern zodiac. "And I am guarding my flower." He stood again and purred. "My...Sakura." May nodded absently. "But what happened behind him?"

"I jerked and marked it." She said quietly. "I was going to turn it into a sword, but the curve is wrong, I think."

"Hmmm...definitely not a sword. Perhaps a naginata." May looked up at him in confusion and then back at the tiger. "Come with me."

Again May forced herself to obey him. It was truly easier to let him take charge and just do what he said. He led her back to his suite and showed her the dojo in his extra room. The weapons hung on the walls neatly and efficiently, gleaming deadly silver. He put his hand on one, "This is a naginata."

May looked at it curiously. It looked like a staff, but had a blade on one end that was straight backed with a curved blade. "It looks heavy."

He laughed. "Not as heavy as some weapons." He stroked the staff of it. "But not what I got you out here for."

"And what is that?"

"The explosion damaged the common kitchen downstairs. Until it is fixed, then we are on our own for our meals." He gestured towards the kitchen. "And after the extensive list you put together, I am curious to see what you can do."

She flushed. "I'm glad to do it, but I am not sure that you would approve of my best dishes."

He herded her out. "And why is that?"

She drifted away from him, out of his arm's reach. "Fetucinni Alfredo with mushrooms, garlic bread and Italian seasoned pork chops." She looked around his kitchen with her hands behind her back. "It's a guaranteed heart attack on a plate."

"An assassin in the kitchen?" he smirked. "I don't believe it."

"A stick of butter, a pint of heavy cream, a pile of hard Parmesan cheese. Then bread loaded with butter and fried pork chops." She shrugged. "My father had me learn to make it since some of his...business partners were Italian."

Saki nodded in amusement. "I will watch you, but I will expect you to be careful and not cross me."

She looked at him in surprise. "You mean...here?" She looked around at the gleaming pans and knives, feeling a little like a kid in a candy store. "I...I don't know what to say..."

"Consider it a reward."

She went to work, setting out her ingredients, measuring two servings of pasta and marinating the pork chops. She ground the cheese, gritting her teeth as she did it. He sat up and paid attention as she began mincing the garlic, but was relieved when she put down the dirty knife in the sink.

Quite soon the kitchen was pleasantly scented with garlic and butter. The rolls were sliced and basted with garlic butter. The pork chops were dredged in flour, then beaten eggs, then seasoned flour and panko crumbs, then fried. The mushrooms were sautéed in butter and garlic, then she added the cream and began the tedious process of adding the cheese a little at the time to allow it to blend and melt. Finally she dished up the meal, pleased she had remembered her recipe and terrified that it would not be approved. Her mouth was watering as she put servings on plates.

He watched as she put a plate down in front of him, along with silverware. He would have to remove his helmet if he ate with her, but a part of him was curious to see what she would do. How would she react to the sight of his face? Even Karai didn't particularly like his face. But she had lived for some time with those freaks, so surely she wasn't some shallow miss to faint at scars.

He her take her portion back to her apartment, rather than let her see his scars in this light. But his meal beckoned him and he surprised himself by enjoying it. The Alfredo sauce was buttery and garlic infused with the creamy finish. The pork chop was juicy and flavorful. She was right—this would never make his list of nutrition for a mother, but once in a great while he felt like he could indulge her.

Shen had liked cooking, but only in the Oriental style. She rarely ventured into other cuisines. When he had first realized how much he loved her, he loved just sitting down and watching her cook. She would bite her lip when she cooked, looking like an untried apprentice rather than a skilled cook. Yoshi would allow her anything it seemed—even a selection of whatever foods she wanted. He had been surprised when she only rolled her eyes at Yoshi and made out a careful list each week, along with coupons and a list of sales at the stores.

Yoshi and he were living like brothers at the Hamato dojo and, as bachelors do, they each took care of themselves, sharing the living spaces more or less equally. When Shen had moved closer to the dojo—into a tiny attic cupboard of an apartment, rather than in the more spacious apartment she had shared with two roommates—she had been first a welcome visitor. When Yoshi's father caught a cold, she fixed chicken soup and dumplings for him, sitting with him for hours reading to him or helping him. She gradually began to visit more often, helping their father with the gardens or cooking a meal to pass the time until everyone was done for the day. At some point, Yoshi turned over the a portion of the housekeeping budget over to her for groceries, but it was when she pointed out a small error in his bookkeeping that he simply handed all the household accounting over to her.

Like the hotheaded young man he was, he had been intrigued by the woman who was slowly being adopted into the clan. He swaggered up to her one day and casually ordered her to make his favorite dishes. She looked at him evenly and told him that she would budget for it next week. He laughed at her boldness and insisted that she fix him his favorites that very night. She shot him a black look but went on with what she was doing. It had angered him and he opened his mouth to shout at her until Hamato Yuta came in and praised her. Saki growled at the older man who only shot him a fierce look and then waved him out. Dismissed like that, he had been surprised when one of the dinners the next week was what he had asked for.

Saki dabbed a roll into a spot of leftover sauce and nibbled it thoughtfully. Perhaps he had been wrong to try to give Shen everything she wanted. He had known some of it wasn't healthy for her—like the extra large orders sweet potato fries she liked so much—but he had wanted to please her. Now it was different, of course. He had the situation well in hand and the girl well under his control with nothing left to chance.

His tablet beeped with a reminder that she was due at the doctor's office in two hours. He got up and stretched languidly. He put on fresh clothes and his armor. There was a soft hiss of water through the pipes and he smirked. She had gotten the same alert and was hopefully cleaning herself up as well.

He opened her door to find her plates still on the counter and the sound of running water from the bathroom. The wine colored top that he particularly liked was on the futon, along with a fresh pair of pants. He smirked and waited in the kitchen. The water shut off and she went and put on the clothes, muttering to herself. With a cheap plastic comb, she combed her hair and braided it, tying it with a rubber band. Except for the scars on her face, she looked like a respectable young wife of a successful man.

He nodded at her slowly and gave her a shawl coat in the same wine color. She pulled up the hood over her face and slid into shoes. They went to the elevator silently and then down to the car. She seemed childlike in her eagerness to look out the window and see the evening lights flash by. He turned on a classical station—something without words that would only get in the way. She squeaked a little in pleasure. May had been taking deep gulping breaths ever since she had been taken outside—ever since riding down the elevator even. It was thrilling to just be outside for once. The lights seemed so bright and vivid and the noise so welcome. The classical music was almost overwhelming to her after the cold silence of her room. Everything was welcome and she drank it all in, even if she couldn't move more than a foot in any direction.

The clinic was deserted and dark in all but two windows when they arrived. Whoever was in the front of the car drove around to the back and opened the door for them. Dr. Ken was standing at the back door and let them in. He asked her a few questions, updated her chart, checked her height and weight and had her change with a brisk efficiency. The examination room was large enough that Shredder could stand in a corner, watching as she changed into the paper garments. The examination was quick and then he started up a machine on a cart. May couldn't help but look at it with wariness and curiosity.

"Doppler," Dr. Ken explained shortly. "Just a second or two and we'll hear the heartbeat." He positioned the receiver on her stomach and put in headphones. Frowning and suddenly concentrating, he moved it around. Shredder loomed over him, the metal clicking and the leather creaking meaningfully. Dr. Ken began to sweat again and moved around more quickly until he finally found the heartbeat. Pulling out the earphones, he turned up the speakers.

A rewarding lub-thub-lub-thub filled the room.

"A healthy heartbeat," Dr. Ken confirmed. He glanced up at the ninja. "I'd say you have a healthy baby." He stood up and pressed a few more buttons on the machine. "I can send you an audio copy if you want."

Shredder nodded absently, seeming very still and quiet.

"Well...I'll just let you two get cleaned up and ready to go. I'll see you again in another few weeks. Does this time...ah...work for you?"

Shredder growled. "This same time."

May was thoughtful as the doctor cleaned her up and drew the paper around her again. When she was allowed to sit up, the doctor stepped out to put her chart on the nurses' station desk. She picked up her clothes and began to pull them on numbly. She looked up at the ninja, remembering the "rule" that she clear questions with him first. "Did you ever hear anything about the tests?"

He looked at her for a moment. "The child is mine, if that is what you are asking."

She shook her head. "I mean, the genetic tests for like MS and Down's Syndrome and stuff." She stuffed her arms into her sleeves.

"Everything came back fine." He seemed surprised she asked. "I would have told you otherwise." He didn't mention that he would have ordered an abortion and "tried again" if any test had failed.

She nodded in relief and finished dressing. She shivered a little at the cool air and he automatically draped the coat over her shoulders.

The doctor came back in, all smiles and congratulations. He began what was apparently a canned collection of advice—to continue exercising, eat well, take naps as she needed them, take her prenatal vitamins and drink orange juice. It was followed by a side of calling his nurse if she had questions and another reminder that he did answer email.

He took one more look at her. "Well, I can say that I have rarely had a mother follow my instructions so well, but I would add one more thing." Shredder stood up straighter, staring down at him. He swallowed and took out his handkerchief to blot his forehead nervously. "I would advise that you get a little sun outside. Even 5 to 10 minutes walking around would be good enough to help you with vitamin D and help you absorb calcium. And if you plan on bre—err...feeding him yourself, then you'll need to stockpile your calcium now."

She nodded, looking down at her lap. The larger man said nothing, but allowed the doctor to speak and then gestured to her. She fell into step in front of him and they went back to the car silently.

She sat down in the back, sighing as she sank into the heavily upholstered seat. Shredder again sat beside her, balling his hands into fists and hitting his knuckles against each other in agitation. May took one look at him and gratefully turned her attention to the outside.

He was still angry when they arrived back at the parking deck. May walked ahead of him and was grateful to duck into her suite. For some reason, she felt extra tired and wanted little more than to sleep.

Saki went directly to his dojo. Taking off the heavy armor, he went to a punching dummy and began a barrage of punches and strikes. How dare anyone suggest that he was not taking care of Sakura?! How dare that puny doctor suggest a walk outdoors?! Did the man not understand that he was keeping her indoors for her safety and health? Several hours later, he felt calm enough to come back out and shower. His tablet was alight with messages and alerts. Growling at the device, he flicked through them restlessly until he saw an alert that the turtles had been spotted in another area of town. He hauled out a fresh set of pads and put back on the armor and slunk out into the night to hunt his prey.

At the lair the next morning, Splinter sat looking at his cup of tea, waiting for the turtles to wake up. He had forced himself to sleep and eat as a matter do discipline and to show his sons how to cope with such stress. Truthfully, he was missing May—missing how the lair had always been clean and how much smoother things were when she was around to let each turtle blow off steam and relax. He found that he enjoyed sleeping next to her and now missed it terribly. Not to mention all the fun it would have been preparing for a baby with her.

Donatello still puttered around with his electronics and used every opportunity to hang out with April, but he was frequently arguing with his brothers that someone needed to help him out. Michelangelo still played games but more often than not he was going back to ordering pizza rather than cook. Leonardo seemed more quiet than usual and seemed to rarely look him in the eye any more, preferring to go off by himself than try to explain what he was feeling. Raphael was reeling still from her loss, often fighting pointlessly and then spending hours by himself on the rooftops.

Leonardo was up first, yawning and only glancing up in his face before bowing and starting towards the practice area. Splinter sighed and spoke, "Leonardo, come here." Leo jerked and didn't even look over his shoulder. Slowly, his head between his shoulders and staring at the ground, he came to sit down beside his father. "Leonardo, you must remember that I am always willing to listen to your troubles." Splinter waited for a careful pause. Usually Leonardo would speak up at this point, but instead, he simply stared at the ground. "I would be willing to listen now."

Leo refused to look at him still. "I think that you should make Raphael the leader, Sensei."

"Why would I do that, my son?"

"I let you down." Leonardo sighed heavily, rolling his shoulders like he was carrying around the world. "I should have never left the lair and then May wouldn't have gotten captured. I should have gone and gotten her back, rather than try to get Karai." He put his face in his hands. "I still don't know where she is..." He sighed heavily. "She could be somewhere horrible."

Raphael's voice interrupted harshly. "She could be in a body bag somewhere, Leo."

"Raphael!" Splinter snapped.

"Master Splinter—you know I'm right! She could be in a body bag somewhere. She could be in a ditch or wearing concrete boots in the ocean." He gestured angrily at Leo. "And Blue-boy here is too busy making goo-goo eyes and whispering sweet nothings to a girl who really wants to turn us over to be killed."

"Karai is not like...that..." Leo whispered, but his voice was sad and defenseless.

Mikey and Donnie came in. Mikey looked at his brothers sadly. "Do you really think she's gone?"

Donnie frowned and put an arm around Mikey and hissed angrily at Raph. "Raph, apologize to Leo! It's not his fault."

"Sure—it's not his fault," Raph drawled. "Just like Karai getting dumped into ooze isn't his fault." He snarled at everyone. "And so our fearless leader still doesn't know what to do." The red-masked turtle pounded his fist on the table. "Do you even have a plan?"

Leo shook his head. "I don't. I don't know except to go to Shredder and—"

"No!" Splinter interrupted harshly. "We will stay here."

"But she's not coming back!" Raph yelled.

Donnie sat with Mikey. Mikey took out an felt orange with a squeaker in it and squeezed it hard. He had been rummaging around and found it in the boxes of baby stuff and just tucked it into his belt for luck. Donnie had been good about printing out the messages from May's pregnancy mailing list and thumb-tacking them up in the lab so that they could see, if May was alive and there, what the child would have looked like. Each Saturday, Mikey would look at the new chart and read it, frowning at the larger words and asking Donatello for explanations. Leo wouldn't pay attention to the charts at all—only to the wall calendar that April had picked up and count, recount and count again until the circled date that Donatello had pronounced "The Safe Day".

Letting out a snarl at his brothers, Raphael stomped back into his room and slammed the door. Fishing under his pillow, he pulled out The Dress. He had picked it up out of a charity bin. It was a white dress with red dots all over the fluffy skirt and a red satin ribbon around the waist. Across the chest was embroidery in the shape of five red flowers. He had looked online and found that the fabric was called "Dotted Swiss". He took it out whenever he wanted to believe that the child and May were somewhere.

Someone knocked at the door and Raph stuffed the dress under his pillow again. "Yeah, what is it?"

"It's time to train," Donnie said from the other side.

Raphael grunted and came out, glaring at Leonardo. Practice went absolutely silently, except for occasional sniffs from Mikey. Splinter trained with them as well, moving through the katas and drills along with them. It was a relief to train, to do something so physical it was almost mindless so that the grief died down for some time.

When they stopped for lunch, everyone went to the empty common room. There was no one dutifully scrubbing the floors and no pot of soup or pan of something scenting the air. It seemed somehow extra cold and empty. Mikey went to pull frozen pizzas out of the freezer and mechanically put them in to bake. Donnie sat down, looking at his mutagen detector and not looking at anyone. Raphael went to pound on the dummy in the corner.

Leonardo just stood in the doorway, not looking at anyone. Splinter sighed and gestured back into the dojo. The oldest turtle went back into the dojo and knelt down sadly. Splinter knelt down and looked at him. His oldest still refused to meet his gaze.

"It is my fault, Master," Leo said. "I'm so very sorry."

"Leonardo," Splinter said hoarsely. "My son." He wrapped Leo in his embrace and let the tears in his eyes slide out to dot his son's shell. "We all miss May." Leo nodded against his chest. "But it is not your fault."

Leo shook his head, shivering in tears. "It is. I never should have left her alone."

Splinter could not breathe for a moment. "If it is your fault, then it is also mine." Leo looked up at him in shock. "I could have followed her just as easily."

"Father...no!" Leo gasped.

"It's ours too, Leo," Donnie whispered from the cracked open door. "We shouldn't have let her go out alone." Mikey squeezed the orange and nodded mutely. "We were all at fault."

Raphael watched them as Donnie and Mikey crept back inside the dojo. Going to the door, he saw Mikey on one side, cradling the darn orange squeaker and leaning on Leo's shell. Donnie had one arm around Splinter and one arm around Leo's shell. Splinter's arms reached around as far as he could to embrace them all. Then one dark eye looked at him and Splinter smiled.

"There is room for one more," he said.

Raphael went back to his room and fished out The Dress. Looking at it, he brought it out and went back to the dojo. Leaning against Leo, he felt his throat close. Gripping his brothers' shells as far as he could, he held on and rocked against them, ignoring the tears down his cheeks.

That night, Leo sat awake long after his brothers had gone to bed, staring at the turned off television. Splinter came out and sat next time to him. "I'm going to go out," Leo said finally.

"Where are you going?" Splinter asked, even though he knew already.

"I'm going to go back to the Sacks building," Leo said. "We know that Shredder is there. Maybe he'll slip up."

Splinter shook his head sadly. "Saki is an expert strategist and there are many buildings in this city." He sighed. "She may not even be in this city anymore."

Leo balled up his fists. "I have to try." He swallowed heavily. "I have to do something." Leo put his face in his hands again. "I won't engage with any of the Foot. I...If I could see her for just a second, that is enough."

"Leonardo," Splinter said sadly. "I have lost my daughter. I have lost May. I do not want to lose my oldest son too."

"I won't do anything," Leo promised. "I just want to see her." Leo stood up and picked up his katanas. "I'll...let you know if I see her."

Splinter watched him sadly and then went to meditate in his room. Hopefully, his son would return soon because he didn't think that his family could stand another loss.

Leo went above ground and then found himself profoundly lost. Where would be the place to look for her? A shelter of some kind? A hospital? A police station? Would she come back to them if she could or had she found a better place somewhere? He walked silently to the huge building and looked up at the huge clock face.

He ducked into the sewers again and came up in the parking deck under the building. There were six basements that he knew of, filled with cages and what he could only call dungeons. It seemed a logical place to put a prisoner. He crept through the lowest basement and found nothing—just stacks and stacks of crates and various supplies. The next lowest was more of the same, along with medical supplies and chemicals. The third one was filled with large cages and the lowest of the cells with cement block walls and heavy gates, but all of them were empty. There weren't even guards on this level and everything seemed covered with dust. Someone started down the stone steps and Leo ducked behind some crates to watch curiously. The figure picked up what looked to be a box of nails and went back upstairs. Disappointed, Leo went back down and out.

Splinter watched him come in and still his oldest could not look him in the eye. Sighing, he guided his son to bed and then went to bed himself. He cradled the pillow close to him, breathing deeply. The last sniff of her scent came out to him and he closed his eyes and hoped for sleep.

May spent the entire day after her examination alone and racking her brain to figure out what she had done to make her captor mad. She had followed his lead unquestioningly and not spoken to the doctor at all. She had stayed back in her spare room, finishing the naginata and starting a flock of birds.

She kept looking back at the tiger, though. For all that Shredder claimed it as his own, it was really the turtles. The smiling eyes were Michelangelo's. The smirk was Leonardo's. The position of the weapon reminded her of Donatello and the crossed arms were all Raphael. But the stance was purely Splinter. It was comforting in some insane way that the tiger was looking out into the room so calmly and cooly.

Thankfully, groceries seemed to arrive with regularity even if they were bland ready-made meals. She had been restocked with orange juice and water, fresh grapes and apples, and a few other things. The last time she had been given fresh towels and sheets, a large black nightshirt and a few other clothes arrived.

That had not been the only surprise. She had about gagged to see the wad of lacy and satiny underthings on the counter. Two bras—welcome since her unsupported chest was aching all the time—and some underwear and then an outfit that she hesitated to call a nightie in glimmering red satin with black lace. She had been surprised to find that they fit perfectly. The next day passed even more slowly as she carefully washed the new underthings and continued to work on the mural. A message blipped through on her watch instructing her to add a cherry tree behind the tiger. She frowned and began the intricate design. But at least he had spoken to her again.

The third day no groceries appeared on her counter and she swallowed heavily. The entire suite was apparently soundproofed to the point that she rarely heard anything. Everyone could have died outside and she'd never know it. It was like being struck deaf, able to watch, but not to hear. Lunch was fruit and some nuts and water and she was grateful to hear the crunch in her mouth.

Then the irritating watch beeped and showed a message that said, "Get ready. 2 hours away." She put down her pen slowly and swallowed heavily. Frowning, she got up and bathed, taking her time in washing and towel drying her hair. She picked up the wine colored top that she knew he liked, along with the stretchy black pants and then the black lace bra and matching panties. She looked at her bare feet and wiggled her toes. It would not be long before she would have to ask for socks—assuming she could still see her feet.

The door opened and he smiled to see her. Gesturing, he let her into his suite. Only the light over the burners was on and a shiny pan glittered in the light. An underling of some kind brought in two paper bags of groceries and set them on the counter before bowing out. Eagerly, she went to the bags and stuck her nose in them. Her hand was about to reach in before she glanced up at him.

He seemed to be amused at her, waving for her to continue. Swallowing and counting herself lucky, she began putting away groceries. Glancing at the clock on the counter microwave, she decided it was probably dinner time and kept out ingredients for a stir fry. Taking a pot out, she measured out noodles and water, adding a bit of salt and a bit of sugar. He kept a supply of fresh ginger and fresh garlic in his kitchen and she ground out some of each. He even had sesame oil and sesame seeds in his cabinets, along with soy sauce.

She took out a bamboo board for the vegetables and began slicing carrots, onions, peppers, mushrooms and broccoli. Mixing some vegetable bouillon into broth, she mixed it with some cornstarch and brown sugar. It wasn't until she was putting the finished stir fry in a bowl that she realized he wasn't there anymore. She froze in fear, looking cautiously around. She reached up to turn off the fan above the burners even, to see if she could hear anything. Fortunately, there were sounds—heavy footsteps and grunts. Alarmed, she tiptoed to the door to his spare room.

He was training—hard—with the naginata in the darkness of the room. May caught her breath, watching him slice through the air with effortless grace. Most startling was that he had taken off his armor and helmet and set them aside, along with his shirt. May could not help but watch at the almost dancing moves. He seemed to be lost in his art and May watched enthralled.

At last he stopped, his back to her. His muscles gleamed in the faint light and he bowed his head. He was breathing heavily and the shadows played against his sweaty skin lightly. She swallowed heavily as she realized just how massively muscled he was. He twirled the naginata lightly and then slid back to the shadows to hang it up.

May felt her mouth go absolutely dry. "D-d-dinner's ready."

He chuckled dryly. "I see."

She stood in the doorway dumbly.

"Was there anything else?"

She blinked sharply. "I-I-I'm sorry." She wiped her eyes. "I don't think that I've ever seen anything so beautiful."

"Beautiful? Go to set the table, Shen. I will be there shortly."

Silently nodding, May went to the kitchen, pulling out silverware. Her hands shook violently as she put bowls on the table. He had called her Shen. She remember Splinter mentioning Shen, but wasn't she...dead? She shook harder as she filled cups with water. From the other room room, she heard his voice.

"Turn off the lights."

She nodded and turned off the light above the burners. The darkness was almost absolute. She stayed still, wondering what to do now.

"Turn around and face me." She turned around and faced the sound of his voice. She bowed her head and chuckled dryly. He was a ninja—he could be anywhere in the darkness. "Look at me."

She looked up at where she guessed he was. There was a soft whisper of sound and in his hand she saw a faint blue glow from what appeared to be a stone. She gasped softly at it. He dropped it on the table where it was just enough light to see what was for dinner. She couldn't help but approach the table to look at it curiously.

"Don't just stand there, Sakura. I am looking forward to eating."

May sat down on the kitchen stool nervously. She heard more than saw Shredder sit down as well. He had put on some sort of shirt, but she could not see it clearly. There was a shadowy movement as he served himself and then her. Without fanfare, he began eating.

"It is delicious, but you are not eating...?"

May mechanically put some bites into her mouth. She couldn't taste it, even though she knew she had flavored it well.

"You cook very well," he complimented.

She nodded. "Thank you." She took another bite. "If you have something specific you want, then I may need some cookbooks to follow."

"Cookbooks?" He seemed to laugh. "Of all the things you could ask for, you want cookbooks?"

She nodded, swallowing heavily. "I love all kinds of books, but the cookbooks are if you happen want something specific."

"So, books are your weakness?"

She tried to smile. "I guess so. I am so...well, bored. I miss listening to music and watching television sometimes, but I really miss books." She took another bite. "Anything and everything—especially books on pregnancy and children right now." She swallowed some water, hoping to moisten her throat.

He smiled at her without answering, finishing his dinner. She followed suit, eating her dinner quickly. He leaned back a little, sighing contently, watching her as she finished the last vegetables.

Nervously, she picked up the empty dishes and silverware to walk to the sink. Fumbling a little in the darkness, she put them in the sink. She ran some water, rinsing the dishes. There was a small window above the sink showed the glowing cityscape below them and a midnight blue sky mottled with low clouds.

She looked at the storm gathering outside. Of course, she did not hear him approach but felt his hands on her shoulders first. Turning off the water, she let him lean her back against him. He felt so different without his heavy armor—still massive, but somehow more human too. He cuddled her close, wrapping his arms around her again to simply stand and watch the storm gather in the sky.

"I have spent two days wanting to return to this," he whispered in her ear. "Two days waiting." He twirled a lock of her hair around a finger, propping his chin on her head. Lightning flashed brilliantly in the distance and May gasped. "I do not have infinite patience."

She nodded silently. One huge hand settled on her stomach. Through the thin fabric, she could feel the ridges of callouses on his palm. The other hand settled in a wide splay down on one breast. It was not nearly so alarming this time for some reason and she simply took a few deep breaths and watched the storm.

"Do you think that you could come up with something tomorrow?" he asked softly.

She paused for a moment as she felt his hand on her stomach tighten. She didn't dare disappoint or anger him. "Yes..."

He laughed softly. "I will see you tomorrow evening then."

The hallway was lit up far brighter than he wanted. He snagged the helmet and put it on long enough to lock her in her own suite. Then he came back and walked to the doorway of his private dojo. She had said "beautiful". He had been restless and had decided that she was well occupied with her cooking. So he had picked up the naginata and begun his kata, clearing his mind and preparing for the inevitable war ahead. Whether it was with her or the turtles, he knew war was coming.

She called it beautiful.

May took off her clothes and put on the nightshirt. The sheets had been changed while she was gone and probably the towels as well. There was a scent of alcohol and pine—the floors and counters had been cleaned. The storm was still gathering in low clouds out her barred windows. Looking out on her empty patio, she sighed heavily.

Sitting on the futon, she picked up the pillow and hugged it to her sadly. She kept silent, in case there were microphones, but she continued the silent prayer she prayed every night. " _Splinter, where are you? What are you doing? I don't recognize myself anymore. I don't know why. Splinter, you are the one that I wish that I was with. You are the one I wish was here, holding my hand and eating with me. Splinter, I don't know who I am anymore. I am frightened. Please, Splinter, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I'm so foolishly lost. I'm so frightened._ "

She buried her face in the pillow in her lap. " _I am lost, my love. I am eating and drinking with your—our enemy. I don't know what else to do since I am so frightened. I should have learned bravery from you, but I didn't and now I'm lost. I don't remember how you felt beside me. I've almost forgotten your scent and the sound of your voice. I don't remember all the wise things you tried to tell me. How am I to do this? How am I to be patient until you come for me? Are you still coming? Do you still want me or did I lose you?_ "

She was sobbing into her pillow now. " _I was just beginning to know you and now I have lost you forever. You must hate me for what I have done._ " She laid down on the futon wearily. " _You must be disgusted with me. I am disgusting. I don't deserve you._

" _Please, please forgive me._ " She wearily closed her eyes and rolled to face away from the window. " _I can't forgive myself._ "

It was still storming the next day and May felt listless. She fiddled with her drawing, adding a few minor details here and there. The exercises passed some time, but like every day, time seemed to have slowed down to a crawl. She drank her water and saw that her water and orange juices had been replenished. New fruit had been put in her kitchen—kiwi, oranges, apples, bananas, and grapes along with a package of dates.

She took a pen and was actually contemplating a new set of drawings—a garden this time—in the bedroom. At lunch time, the door opened and shut. After a pause, the doorway open and shut again. Standing up, she dusted herself off and went into the kitchen.

On her counter were two nondescript bag of groceries—milk, 100% fruit juice frozen bars, frozen dinners, a loaf of wheat bread and so on. As she was pulling out a package of celery sticks, her fingers his something hard in the bottom of the bag. In amazement, she pulled out a soft cover book with the title "Classic Asian Cuisine Made Healthy".

She began to rip up the bags to get to the bottom. In addition to the first, she found "Vegetarian For Your Health", "Comfort Foods from Around the World", "Massage and Relaxation for Your Pregnancy" and a then a thick, heavy volume named "The Mammoth Book of Your Pregnancy". At the very bottom of the second bag was a new baby catalogue and parenting magazine.

May was just about in tears as she put away the last groceries. Taking "The Mammoth Book of Your Pregnancy" to her futon, she began reading. It didn't matter that the book started with gross anatomy and graphic illustrations of the male and female organs before proceeding to a chapter titled "Before Your Conception". It was still something to read after weeks of close to nothing.

The afternoon began to fly as she carefully read each word. She did manage to get up and get her water on time, along with a second break to do the second half of her daily exercises. But she would go back to her book with glee.

At 4:23, she went to the bathroom and glanced at her watch. She realized with an ironic chuckle she had spent the entire day in her nightshirt, so she cleaned up and got dressed. She made her bed and went to poke through the other books while her combed hair dried. The Asian cookbook had a few pages dogeared, as did the Comfort Foods. More surprising was the amount of dogeared pages in the catalogue. She looked through it languidly, noting the circled items.

At 4:45 on the dot, her doorway opened again and Shredder herded her and her cookbook to his suite. She opened the cookbook and began to do some Teriyaki chicken with a side of hot, fried string beans and some brown rice. As the main dishes simmered, she began cutting up some apples and slid them into a pot with some butter, cinnamon and brown sugar. Restlessly anticipating the fried apples for dessert, she began to clean up the dishes she had used and put away the dishes in the dishwasher. It was mindless until she got to the last bundle of silverware and found a medium sized knife.

She gasped as she held it. The handle was strong wood with a full tang and the worn edges spoke of familiar use. The blade was thick and the edge was wickedly sharp. It gleamed in the light from above the range of burners. She thought about what she could do with such a blade and her mind spun in frantic circles of pictures of trying to threaten her way out or to cut her way—!

"I wouldn't if I were you." Shredder's dark silhouette looked at her languidly from the doorway, his armor discarded. He approached her silently and cautiously. "Put it down, girl."

She looked up at him and then down at the knife. He was almost on top of her and she had to decide quickly. Then something flashed in her mind and, all but weeping, she did put it in the knife block.

Shredder came up behind her and she willingly leaned against him as she felt her knees wobble. He took her wrists in his huge hands and then wrapped her arms around her body. She shivered violently as he rocked against her slightly. He sighed heavily and held her, waiting for her to calm down. Keeping the picture of that mare in mind, he dropped his voice low. "You cannot defeat me, Sakura."

She nodded slowly, distantly surprised that she felt glad that he had her wrapped up such that she could not do anything. It made her feel less like a coward. "I know."

"Say it, Sakura."

"I cannot defeat you." She sobbed and would have buried her face in his chest if she could. "I know I cannot defeat you."

He wrapped one hand around her wrists and pinned them to the counter. She didn't resist at all. In fact, she bent her head down to her pinned wrists. He smacked her bottom three times hard enough to hear her yelp and to feel her jerk. Then he pulled her against him again. "Do not force me to punish you again."

She leaned against him weakly and put her hands on his chest. She could not even look him in the eyes. "I..I am so sorry."

He nodded and dropped an arm around her shoulders. "Good girl," he grunted. "Now be quiet and we will have dinner."

He led her away from the knife block and numbly she set the table. Again the ghostly stone came out and they turned off the lights as soon as the plates were served. She ate slowly and again the food tasted like paste. Even the soft apples with their sticky syrup of sugar and cinnamon seemed tasteless.

"We will have to walk more if you insist on cooking so well," he said after the meal as he watched her mechanically clean up the dishes. He watched as she bent to fill the dishwasher, utterly avoiding the knife block. She nodded and muttered her thank you as she deftly put one of the pots in sideways in the machine. "Tomorrow, if you are good, then I will take you out a little further."

May sucked in a breath. What did "a little further" mean? Where was "a little further"? Carefully, she said, "That would be nice—very generous of you."

He only nodded and took her back to the other suite. She couldn't move as he again wrapped his arms around her and stood there in the darkness. She was wrung out and relished the darkness that hid her tears. Saki took in a deep breath as he settled her pinned against the counter and began to feel her warm skin. One hand drifted under her top and he was happy to feel the satin covering her breast and the ruffled lace at the edges. The other hand pushed the shirt up a bit to feel the definite swell. It was satisfying to cradle her belly in his palms like always.

Perversely, he was pleased about the knife. She had picked up a good knife since it was weighty without being too heavy, well balanced, sturdy and sharp. She had weighed it in her hand and instinctively known it was a good fit. He had been impressed with her boldness, that she had even thought about the knife, but then he had not even had to do more than raise his voice a little to get her to put it aside. And even then she had not even dropped carelessly, but had put it carefully in the knife block. That had pleased him even more.

He noticed she stirred a little as his rough callouses grazed her belly. He smiled and rubbed her again. "Is my flower ticklish?"

She shook her head slowly. "The skin dries out and itches at times."

He laughed softly again and then was gone. She went to change into her nightshirt and climbed into bed. Again she cuddled the pillow and again she was not rewarded with Splinter's scent. The storm blew again outside her window and she watched it listlessly as drops hit the window and trailed down the bars. Gray storms at night were sad enough, but this was almost unbearable. She pulled the blankets completely over her head.

Leonardo stood again in the rain, watching. He had found nothing unusual in the basements and figured he would try the penthouse. It was funny—they had crept through the basements, crashed through the skylight into the accursed atrium behind the clock face and been on many floors looking for labs or mutagen or friends, but they had never systematically gone through each floor and noticed what was there.

With the night-vision binoculars, he saw that the penthouse balconies had multiple cameras on each of them. He sighed—it couldn't be easy, could it? Dropping onto the balconies would be risky at best and he decided to take the risk of looking through the patio doors from positions on the other buildings. The first balcony was empty and there was a curtain over the glass. The next one had a pair of chairs and a table on it and looking inside there was a neat bedroom, but that obviously wasn't hers because there were katanas hanging on the wall, along with posters of some teenage band. The third one was decorated in the Japanese style with an abstract painting over the bed and also had a bo leaning on a wall with two sais on it. Leo sighed heavily, maneuvering to the fourth balcony. There was a luxuriously thick futon on the floor with crisp sheets and nothing on the walls at all as far as he could see.

Leo sighed heavily, deciding that nothing more could be done. It had been a long shot to look in the penthouse rooms anyway. If May had been there, surely she could have been outside and signaling them the first night. Slinking down a fire escape, he went back to the lair. Splinter was in his room, but his door was open. Leo felt his stomach wrench. Splinter was losing weight and no one was getting along anymore. For the thousandth time, he thought that he should have done something different. But at least the empty apartments were a starting point to get into the upper floors.

The next morning May was happily alternating between reading and drawing a bouquet of tigerlilies over the head of the futon. Breakfast was simply accomplished, toasted bread with peanut butter and banana slices sprinkled with cinnamon and a paper cup of orange juice. Lunch was a packaged sandwich with chips and two pickles. She ate it all quickly and went back to her drawing and reading. Between the two the day passed more quickly than most. As evening approached, she switched to picking out recipes and settling on a chicken dish with roasted vegetables and smashed potatoes. Or would it be better to go with another stir fry? She flipped through the marked recipes again, trying to decide.

She was collected late—around 6:30 and began to cook. However, instead of eating with her, he insisted that she eat by herself. Unsettled by the change in schedule and the fact he was still in his armor and helmet, she ate as quickly as he allowed and cleaned up, setting his plate aside in the fridge. She didn't even gasp as the lights over the burners was turned off and he settled his hands on her again. She looked out the kitchen window over the city, feeling his hands skim over her again and again and then vanish.

Thinking that she was done for the night, she followed him to the door. But instead of leading her into the apartment, he led her to the elevator and took her down several floors and led her down darkened hallways. She looked around quizzically but let him take her where he wanted.

The room opened up into a huge room. She did gasp at the sight of it—the huge stairs going up to the spiked throne, the long rectangle reflecting pools, and the huge windows that showed her what seemed like the entire city. An enormous skylight was above them and she could see the starlit night above her. It was almost like being outside.

Someone or something growled at her from a shadowy corner and May froze. Shredder spoke sharply to it in Japanese and whatever it was slunk away. She didn't want to move, but she felt his fingertips push her gently in the small of her back. She walked forward, guided around the side of the room to the window. She gaped a little and looked at Shredder and then the window again.

He smirked as she looked back and forth at the windows and them him. "It is bullet proofed up to a point, but more importantly it is entirely glazed so that no one can see in at all." She looked at the windows solemnly. "I control all of the territory that you see." He said it lightly. "And a great deal beyond this. You cannot run from me." He let a finger run down her back. "When the turtles and rat are dead, then I will be unstoppable." He put his armored hand over her stomach. "And my son will inherit all of it."

May nodded absently, watching as the minute hand swung backward some amount with a click. She blurted out, "And Karai?"

"If we can find her and cure her, then she will have a fair share. Perhaps the properties in Japan..." He turned thoughtful for a moment. "But for now, I want you to concentrate on the newest Oroku son."

"What if she is a girl?"

He laughed heartily. "I already have a daughter. I want a son."

May nodded, but inside she shivered again. Every time that she thought she was on stable ground, his mood turned and he threw her off balance. She was grateful as he led her back to her suite after a few minutes. She expected him to leave her at the door, but instead he came in behind her, locking them in.

He surprised her again, turning her and pressing her back against the counter. He casually wrapped one hand around her neck and then brushed her shirt up. May closed her eyes and grabbed the edge of the counter with a white knuckled grip to stop herself from automatically trying to get out of his grab. He laughed at her, then from some hidden pocket, he pulled out a jar and set it on her counter.

"Open it, my dear," he whispered, nudging it into her hands. Her fumbling fingers finally opened it. He laughed softly and reached for the container to dip his fingers inside. May gasped as soothing, cold cream was smeared on her belly. It quenched the itching instantly. He rubbed it all over her stomach, his hand on her throat loosening. May took in deep breaths, relieved as his attention was turned towards her belly and not her throat.

His hand was still against her belly again and he stepped closer. She felt his breath on her face, tickling her closed eyes. He laughed softly again, one finger tracing the neckline of her shirt. "Will you open up to me? Or do I find my own way in?"

May moaned softly as she pulled down the stretchy material of the shirt and undid the front clasp of the bra to expose herself. Shredder took some more of the cream and gently brushed her exposed skin. She gasped at the cold of the cream against the heat of his hands against the super sensitive skin. She swallowed heavily, relieved that his hold had loosened further still and was more of a token gesture than a threat.

"My son," Shredder whispered as his hand slid down the swell of her belly. "My son grows well here." His thumb rested lightly in the hollow of her throat and he could hear her pant and feel her swallow. Gently he stroked the front of her neck with his thumb, relishing the feel of warmth. He could not remember feeling such warmth in another person. Hamato Yuta's wife had passed away when he and Yoshi were too young to recall much of her—her voice or songs, how she held or hugged them. Oroku Yui—his kunoichi mother—had slit her own throat rather than live without her ninja husband. He remembered Shen being warm to the touch, but often untouchable. He could not bear to think of what Karai in her snake form felt like now.

May tensed up beneath his grip as his hand dipped under the swell of her belly and his hand on her throat automatically tightened. He would have looked into her eyes had there been any light at all, but he could feel that every muscle went stiff and still. A wicked part of him wanted to strip her bare entirely and shed his armor and allow it all to happen, but he rigidly controlled that part. If she fought him, he would have to stop her and she might be injured regardless of how careful he was. Until she had given him his son, he wanted to take no chances that might lead to a miscarriage.

However, she needed to grow used to facing him as he touched her. He was not going to lurk behind her forever. He was not going to be locked out again—not while his son was born. No, she needed to grow used to him and sometimes that meant forcing her to take the necessary steps like he had to force his mare to take that first step into the water that she loathed. At least Sakura had not forced him to use a quirt to drive her first steps.

"You have done well, little flower," he whispered as he pulled the bottom of her shirt down again. In his gauntlets, it was impossible to fasten her bra again or pull up the collar of her shirt to cover her breasts again. But in time he was sure that it would not be a problem.

He backed away slowly and gestured to the short hallway to the bedroom. "Go to bed and rest well."

May walked as slowly and calmly as she was able to force herself to go. The door opened briefly and then closed and locked behind her and at last she ran to the bedroom. Suddenly viciously cold, she dressed again and covered up. She even took the shawl coat and wrapped up in that. But she couldn't stop shaking.

She crawled into bed and covered up completely again. What had she done to make him angry enough to grab her throat? Whatever it was, she did not want to do it again. She blew out a deep breath. As soon as she figured out whatever had made him mad, she'd be sure not to do it again. She blew out another breath. Perhaps if she picked out a better meal, something delicious, he would be in a better mood...

Splinter sighed and sent Leonardo to bed early. The turtle was spending hours upon hours searching and watching the building and it was time for it to stop before some truly horrible accident happened. Sitting in the open room, he closed his eyes briefly, continuing his running inner monologue. _"May...it does not matter what has happened as long as you are well. I was afraid to let you into my life, afraid that if I did it would only spell disaster and certain death for you. I stayed safe in my past, determined that no one would ever be so close to me again. I used Shen as my shield when she would be the first to say that I should live and love again. I fought against the warmth you offered me and now I have lost it—perhaps forever._

 _"I am surprised that you kept trying. I put you off for so long, trying to match you to one of my sons and yet dreading that you would prefer one of them over me. I never should have tried to force you to turn away. I should have allowed us to follow both our hearts and had I known you would be snatched away from us, I would have admitted it sooner._

 _"We are lost without you. My sons are still a team and their years together will not break, but they miss one they regard as their family. Perhaps even their mother. They yearn to know the little one who will be their brother or sister._

 _"Forgive us for not knowing what we had—what I had—until it was gone."_

Splinter stood wearily and went to the portrait in the back of his room. This time, he spoke softly. "Shen, my love, I have found someone new. Someone who holds a part of my heart. I will always love you, but the man who loved you is gone and only I remain. I will always remember the love and warmth you gave Miwa and me. And my father, who loved you as the daughter he did not have.

"I have found another piece of my own shattered soul, and lost it to...Saki. Saki, who I loved like my brother, has taken her. We do not dare pursue her now because she is carrying a child that I love like my own. I swear that when the child is born and she is recovered we will fight to get her back.

"My love—if you can hear me now, please help her find the strength and will to do the hardest of tasks and survive until we can come to her. Please, help her to know in her heart that she is loved dearly."

Splinter swallowed heavily. "And if it is her karma to pass before me, then help her to know that I will look forward to seeing her again."

He did not particularly know whether or not anyone or anything heard him, but it did seem that his ancestors did watch out for him and his tiny clan. Splinter took an incense stick and lit it in honor of Shen. He took another and lit it in honor of Miwa. The third stick he placed in the holder, but he could not find the strength to light it because it was too much like admitting he would not see May again.

May slept fitfully. She had eventually taken everything off and slid on her nightshirt, but every slight sound seemed to echo in the silence and it felt like she could still feel the hand at her throat. Then she would have to force herself to lay down again and close her eyes.

 _But then it seemed she was in a wide open field filled with wildflowers and a thick bamboo grove. At the edges, some city she didn't recognize slid in and out of focus. There was a school of some kind in the old Japanese style. She headed dreamily toward the first building. The walk was pleasant enough—there was an efficient vegetable garden to her left and a lovely pond with koi on her right. On the porch were several bonsai. She saw no knocker or doorbell, but she knew she had to be let inside. She had barely raised her hand to knock when an old man slid open the door and beckoned her inside. He was bald and wore a white ghi and loose pants, but then, he had such a beautiful smile and seemed at such peace, it seemed like he was glowing. May followed him willingly, wondering what it would be like to be so peaceful and equally wondering why someone so wonderful would ever want with her._

 _The man led her to a room with thick tatami on the floor and shoji that glowed gold in the sunlight. He sat down at a small table with a go board on it. A young woman sat there, studying the board and looking for moves. May sat down too, marveling at the carved and painted bamboo board._

 _But the board was not like anything she had seen before. There were groups of black chips at various places. The old man was putting down white chips with a floral crest design in black ink. The woman was putting down wine colored chips with the same design in gold ink. May gasped, looking at the intricate plays—the white and red were against the black, which seemed to multiply and move by itself._

 _The woman smiled at May, and slid a wine colored chip on the table. She turned to May and said, "You are stronger than you think." As she released the chip, a black chip turned the color of wine and the gold design glittered on it. "You will not be alone."_

 _May whimpered a little. What on earth was she to say to that? She was alone and afraid and miserable. The woman gently touched her hand and May stared at the wine colored chip, trying to not cry and to remember where she had seen that peculiar flower design before._

 _The man nodded and slid down a white chip. Unfortunately, four black chips surrounded it and with a sizzling black fire, the white chip became black. "I did not mean for such evil to occur. If I had known, I would have not spared the child."_

 _The woman grew thoughtful but did not seemed surprised at the mysterious statement. "We all have regrets." She slid a wine colored chip down. "But things will change and soon, it will end." The old man nodded like this was a conversation that they had been having for a long time. Then the woman spoke to May again, smiling directly at her. "Of course, I give my blessing to you both. Be strong, be obedient when you have to be, be patient and know that you have family and friends."_

 _The old man sighed and placed a white chip. "You must be patient." He kept his finger on the chip as though he were pressing a stubborn button. "In time, you will be—"_

May woke up, sitting straight up. She touched her face and found tears running down her cheeks. But most peculiarly, there was a scent of fresh grass and bamboo in the air.

Oroku Saki dozed on his king sized bed, wearied from training and the work that went with running his large organization. A pair of beautiful knives were tucked into the headboard and his bo and a pair of sais were on the wall by him. His armor was on its stand and gleamed wickedly in the night.

But it was the light plant scent on his hands that captured his fading attention. His body remembered Sakura standing in her suite and how her skin felt when it was warm and slick with the cream. His blood remembered how her curves filled his hands and warmed beneath his skin. The scent filled the air in some undefinable way.

He growled slightly. It was as if he were a youth and obsessed with a girl again. He did remember that awkward stage when he and Yoshi had crept around after every female in the vicinity, curious as very young men have always been about the opposite sex. They had made up all kinds of wild and impossible stories to each other about their imaginary conquests. It had been a game to cover up the embarrassment of having acne and their voices cracking and these wild urges. Master Yuta had tried to direct them to use the energy and urges in constructive ways: to train, to develop discipline in themselves and others, to help build the clan. Of course, it was impossible to direct two boys to control their urges all the time and Master Yuta knew it.

Saki had been the first to meet Tang Shen one rainy evening. He had gone out to fetch some medicine and soup for Master Yuta when he saw some thugs cornering a teenage girl. He fought them off and gave the girl back her purse. But then he saw his bus leave and cursed violently. He would have to wait for the next one or walk. Shen watched the bus leave as well and, at his cursing, suggested that they could take a short cut and catch it a few blocks over. He laughed at her, but gamely followed as she ducked into two alleys—foolish girl—and then climbed a fence before reaching the bus stop. He had had no problems keeping up with her—even with the soup and the medicine in his hands but was surprised that she had managed to make it. The bus came for them and they crowded in the back, with all the other people who were wet and dripping. Shen's stop was three before his and she thanked him softly and kissed his cheek before vanishing into the misty rain.

Yoshi had not believed a word of it. Master Yuta had only nodded and taken his medicine and soup, reminding them both to train. They were restless and did so, then promptly went out to see if they could find the "mystery woman". It was actually several weeks before either of them saw her again as she walked with a group of friends somewhere. She had waved over at Saki who sent a telling glance to Yoshi. Of course, Yoshi was not watching him—he was paying attention to the girls. Two strong young men were welcome by the group of girls as they walked to go to the movies. Saki could not remember being so bored as watching the romantic comedy in the dark while the girls tittered and sighed around him. Yoshi and he collected the phone numbers from every girl by the time that they all separated later that night, but the first one his list was Shen.

It was a long time ago, of course. The theater had become run down and was replaced by a rather seedy hostess club. The bus stops had moved around and if he were to be there today, there is no way he would have made it through the short cut.

He took a deep breath, taking in the scent into his lungs. His little flower was safely locked inside where no one else could reach her. He was her lord and master and her god, seeing that she had all that she needed for the son she carried. If she never learned anything else, she would know that he was all things to her.


	14. Chapter 13

A week passed along, plodding for some and swift for others. Splinter and the turtles trained and fought. May exercised and rested, drawing and reading and cooking the evening meal for the Shredder. The hunt for Karai took up much of Shredder's time, along with hunting for the turtles and the new alliances he was cultivating. In the evenings, he allowed himself an hour or two to train privately while May cooked and then a half hour or so dedicated to the sensual delights of feeling her growing curves.

One night, Donatello took Leonardo aside and dropped something in his hands. Leo looked at the strange device curiously. It was a long, flexible straw like piece connected to what appeared to be a hand-held gaming device with buttons on each side.

"Uh, I don't have time for games," Leo said in confusion.

"It's not a game," Donnie said. He flipped some switches and the palm sized monitored turned on, showing a view of Leo's feet. Pushing some of the buttons, the straw like piece slowly curled and twisted to show the room up to their knees.

Leo hissed in amazement and began gently pressing the buttons to turn it around. Dutifully, the straw twisted around and showed Donatello's knees. Donnie pressed another button and a picture was taken.

Donnie nodded in satisfaction. "Master Splinter told us that you were trying to figure out a way to look in the windows so I came up with this out of some old parts from a Spy-bot." He shook his head. "It doesn't have really good night vision and the wand doesn't always turn real well, but it might be long enough to look in through a few of the windows."

"Thanks Donnie," Leo said, smiling in what felt like the first time in days. "I owe you." He cocked his head. "But why haven't you guys said anything before?"

Donnie smiled back. "Who do you think is keeping an eye on Splinter to keep him from worrying about you?" He coughed slightly. "I've had two 'server meltdowns' and a false alarm and Raph has 'lost his temper' a few times."

Leo smiled again, touched by his brothers support. Splinter could have been following him for a week and he would have never known it. "What about Mikey?"

"Well, we didn't know if Mikey would run his mouth or not, so we, kind of just let things happen." Donnie looked abashed and scratched the back of his head. "But he's taking this kind of hard. He's having nightmares and waking up screaming."

Leo sighed, fingering the new device. "Well, hopefully we'll have some good news tonight."

"Umm, Leo—just promise me that tonight is the last night for a while. Splinter is worried about us all."

Leo didn't answer. Tonight he'd go up through the sewers again. Maybe the next few levels up would bring results.

That night, after Leo left, all of the turtles crowded together in Master Splinter's room. Mikey yawned widely and would not let go of the little orange, but wouldn't sleep either. Raphael kept the ribbon sash from The Dress in a pocket of his belt. Donnie realized that there was no sleep tonight until everyone calmed down and Leo came back.

"We will meditate, then," Splinter said.

Dutifully, everyone closed their eyes and began to focus. Donnie concentrated, praying his rigged together device bore results. Raphael prayed for sleep. Michelangelo could barely concentrate and kept up an inner commentary of all the things he worried about. Despite the muttering and small sounds from the turtles, Splinter knelt quietly and his thoughts were inscrutable. They all concentrated and tried to empty their minds.

Leo frowned at the clear sky. There was no convenient storm to cover him going to the roof, so the basement was it. He looked at the building again. The building had some kind of glaze on the windows which reflected the sunlight and made it seem opaque mirrors, but at night, you could faintly see windows with lights and figures passing in and out of sight. He watched a window at the end of a hallway and saw a figure come up to the windows. A larger figure followed at a leisurely pace and after a few moments, they turned and left. Leo watched again, waiting to see what would happen, but they did not reappear.

He searched a few floors up, finding a few store rooms, what appeared to be a barracks, a few locked rooms, and what appeared to be some sort of restaurant or cafe that was under construction. Disappointed, he slunk away home, unable to look anyone in the eye as he handed Donnie back the device and went to bed.

"What does it mean, Sensei?" Mikey asked impatiently.

"It means, Michelangelo, that we must be patient still."

"But I don't want to be patient, I want to know about May—!"

Splinter interrupted sharply. "We all want to know. But we must not endanger her or her child." He sighed. "She must endure whatever the Shredder commands if her child is to be safe. He will not hesitate to kill them both if we get caught trying to reach out to her." He gestured to his sons. "We will begin training early tomorrow. Go to bed."

May awoke the next morning feeling peculiarly at peace. She had slept in very late, finally able to sleep deeply and without further dreams. Besides, no one else particularly cared when she rose and when she slept and she did not have any appointments. Her watch reminded her to get some water and take her vitamin. She picked up the dirty clothes, rinsed them out and made the bed. Breakfast was another peanut butter and banana sandwich. A new bag of groceries was on her counter, along with a magazine and a note instructing her on what to fix for dinner that night. So, after a scant hour of activity, she was left on her own.

It was going to be a slow day. May did her exercises, humming to try to fill the void of silence. She took a bath to work out the stubborn kink in her neck and the gentle pain in her lower back. She worked on the bedroom garden, adding a tori gate and cherry trees to go with the bouquet of tigerlilies at the head of the futon. Lunch was a packaged salad—again—with fruit for dessert. Along with lunch was a bag with a new outfit—a dark purple kimono style top with black piping around a high elastic obi belt and a long, dark gray skirt.

She had to laugh at it—it was a top that could be moved aside while in bladed gauntlets. But, it didn't matter. She would wear anything as long as it meant he was in a good mood. She paged through the cookbooks until she found the recipes he wanted and began to study them. Around three, she washed her face and braided her hair and put on the clothes he had sent. Then she sat down to study the ingredients again.

At 5:30, he came to fetch her, allowing her to take her recipes to his suite before walking with her into the atrium. She blinked several times at the wide open space that was filled with sunlight. He patiently walked her up and down underneath the skylight, saying nothing. It was a small amount of bliss to bask in the sunlight beating down on her. After ten minutes or so, he led her outside to the stairwell and had her climb the stairs up and down, up and down before popping a single square of dark chocolate in her mouth.

She cooked almost blindly, measuring out ingredients for a Thai curry with sticky jasmine rice. There were eight separate spices to measure out separately and then grind together, along with garlic and coconut milk. Then the vegetables were cut and fresh basil to be torn and the chicken to be sliced and cooked. The kitchen smelled wonderful and, for a little while, May felt some measure of peace as she tended the pots and served the meal.

She went to his dojo and watched as he practiced with katanas. The katanas she at least had seen before, after all Leonardo used them, but it was still beautiful to watch as a hooded cobra is beautiful to watch. She did not dare speak this time, waiting until he was through and had put his weapons away and then following him into the kitchen.

Focusing on the meal, she was relieved that he did the same. They ate in silence that might have almost been companionable. She washed the dishes afterward and put them away—even the knives—without hesitation. He seemed satisfied, even smug, as she did so. Afterward, he again held her and seemed to approve of her body before allowing her to dress again and be locked back in alone.

This was the pattern for the next two days and she settled into it as best she could. She simply did as he told her without hesitation or comment and he did not threaten her again. The third day, after he had released her to go to bed, she lay on the futon watching it rain again outside. The gardens she had been able to glimpse were losing their flowers and petals to become just another green smudge. Time was passing slowly and she was gaining weight steadily as the child grew inside of her. Then a shadow passed over her window and she jerked up to look around. There was no one there. She checked the patio and saw something jump or fall, followed by other shapes.

Then there was nothing but the wind and rain.

Splinter sat up, waiting for Leonardo. It was late and the others had long since gone to bed. He debated just sleeping himself, but it seemed that he just couldn't do it. Not when his oldest son was out there alone. A T-phone sounded in the silent lair and someone answered it. Then there was an uproar as three turtles burst out and ran at the call of their brother. Splinter put on a kettle of tea and sat down to wait. Somehow, this didn't feel like an improvement.

At a later point, all four returned, bruised but not badly, and chatting with each other. Splinter looked at them all as they came in, wanting to see for himself that they were all there. First was Donatello who bowed and went to text April. Then Raphael who glowered at Michelangelo continually as the latter giggled and laughed about the happenings above before going back to bed. With a frown, he looked for the fourth.

His heart caught in his throat for a moment, dreading the thought of being told that one more had fallen. Then he caught sight of Leo as he slowly trudged up the tunnels far behind his brothers. Leo looked him in the eyes and a steady brown gaze was finally matched by a dark blue one. Splinter smiled at him as he bowed and came in.

"Master," Leonardo said formally. "I have some news..."

Splinter smiled, feeling relief in his bones. "What is your news, my son?"

Leo gestured to Splinter's bedroom and they both went in silently to kneel facing each other. Leo showed Splinter the device and the pictures. There was one each of three penthouse apartments and these were discarded rapidly.

Then there was a picture of the fourth. A woman could be seen in nice clothes on the bed. He had wriggled and fiddled and then got a clearer shot of her face and it was May. But it was May as he had never seen her—in nice clothes and obviously fed well. The apartment was spartanly furnished but the futon in the bedroom was luxurious compared to Splinter's own bedroom and several books could be seen, along with some drawings on the wall.

"This is good news, my son," Splinter said with a smile. "She is alive and appears well." Leo nodded uncertainly. "But something troubles you?"

"I...kind of didn't expect it." Leo flushed. "I thought she'd be locked in some dungeon somewhere, not in a penthouse apartment with books and a patio and a smart watch and everything."

Splinter smiled. "There are many kinds of cages my son. And not all that glitters is golden."

Leo nodded again. "I suppose, Master."

"What's up guys?" Mikey said softly from the doors, rubbing his weary eyes.

Splinter and Leo looked at each other.

"Hey...is that..pictures?" Mikey slid over and looked at the device. He smiled and shouted. "Hey, guys! Leo's got pictures!"

Everyone bustled in rubbing their eyes and trying to crowd around Splinter to look at the pictures. It was a long moment while Splinter and Leonardo patiently flipped through the electronic pictures.

"Wow," Mikey said. "She's gonna have to lay off the pizzas or something because she's getting fat!"

Donnie just stared at Mikey and Raphael groaned. "She's pregnant doofus. That's where the baby is!"

Mikey looked at everyone in confusion. "She's having a baby? I thought she was having a turtle." He thought for a moment and then smiled again. "But, hey, babies are cool right?"

Leonardo cocked his head at the pictures. She _was_ bigger than when he had last seen her.

Donatello looked at the pictures. "She is going to get much bigger, too. She's only about half-way along."

Raphael grabbed the thing and looked at her. "How come she is dressed all fancy?" Leo swallowed heavily and shrugged. "I saw a top like that in one of April's catalogues and it was pretty high end." He grunted and shrugged sourly. "She's gone bad—"

Leo looked at him in shock. "Not a chance." He looked at Splinter who sat and plucked his whiskers. "She's still May, right, Sensei?"

Mikey looked at Leonardo and Splinter in sad confusion. "Is she...like Shredder's now?"

Splinter looked at the photographs. "I do not think so."

Raph's fists were balled up and he shouted. "Here we've been worried that she's in some dungeon somewhere and she's living it up." He pounded his fists together. "She's like some kind of—"

"Raphael!" Splinter snapped. "Each of you go to bed and then prepare for intense training tomorrow."

Everyone groaned and went to bed. Splinter studied the fuzzy picture again. Was she really being seduced by money and comfort? He looked at the pictures carefully.

The next morning, Splinter was in the common room with a few pieces of chalk and a self-satisfied smile. "Each of you, please sit down so that we can begin our training."

The turtles looked at each other curiously and found someplace to sit. Splinter stood up and drew squares around each of them and then went back to sit down.

Leonardo spoke up first. "What kind of training is this, Master?"

Splinter glanced at each of them and at Raphael in particular. "A very important kind." He smirked. "Each of you have your square and you each have room to stand up and walk—a bit."

Raphael looked around. "So...what's the training?"

Splinter smiled. "This is it. Each of you have a square. You may not look at each other. You may not talk to each other and you may not leave your square."

"So this training is doing nothing?" Michelangelo asked. "Awesome!"

"We shall see, Michelangelo," Splinter said. "We shall see."

The first hour each of the turtles lounged around. The second hour, they began to get restless. Splinter smiled in satisfaction as they got increasingly edgy. Leonardo tried to meditate. Donnie looked longingly at his lab and tools. Mikey kept rocking and doing something that looked like a child playing "This Little Piggy". Raphael just got angrier and angrier. He tried to sit calmly. But then he started pacing more and more restlessly.

Splinter allowed another hour to pass. Leonardo was pacing as well. Donatello took out his bo and a throwing star to begin carving it, but was finding it frustratingly slow going since he could not lay his bo out at a good angle. Michelangelo had finally gotten his fill of "This Little Piggy" and was now looking sadly at his video games. Raphael was banging his head on the ground.

Splinter let another hour pass. Even he was getting restless, but it was darkly amusing to see how little his sons were prepared to take absolute stillness. Perhaps he should have done this sooner...

Finally Raphael screamed. Splinter smiled and calmly stood and whipped his cane around to strike Raphael in the head.

"OW!" Raphael bellowed. "What was that?!"

"The rules are simple, Raphael," Splinter said. "No talking. No looking at the others. No leaving the square."

Raphael groaned and sat back down. The other turtles hastily turned away and began staring at other things.

Splinter went into the kitchen and fixed some toast with cinnamon and some hot tea. The fragrance of the cinnamon and his black tea seemed to fill the room since there was nothing else to concentrate on. Calmly, he went back to his place and began eating. Predictably, all of the turtles began sniffing the air appreciatively.

Equally predictably, Michelangelo broke first. His stomach growled and he whimpered, "I'm so hungry."

Splinter calmly went up and swept his cane at Michelangelo's back and then went back to eating.

At the top of the next hour, all of the turtles were holding their stomachs and whimpering. Michelangelo was actually sucking his thumb. Leonardo had tried to do exercises, but was frustrated at the lack of space. Donatello had given up carving entirely and was pacing as well. Raphael had begun pounding the floor and growling.

Splinter smiled and finished his tea. To increase the pressure, he turned on classical music on the radio. All of the turtles groaned and held their heads and each of the turtles was smacked in turn.

Raphael leapt up. "Master Splinter, I can't take this any more!"

"Indeed," Splinter nodded. "Do each you feel this way?" All of the turtles nodded hopefully. "Too bad. The first of you to break the rules will now have to choose another one to take punishment as well as yourself."

All of the turtles groaned and sat down again. Splinter took tea and toast to each turtle. It only took another hour for them to decide to eat and drink what they were given. Michelangelo took a sad nap and the others tried hard to find ways to pass the time.

Splinter sat again, waiting.

Finally, Leonardo looked up at Splinter. "What do we have to do to get out of here?"

Splinter got up and hit Leonardo in the stomach. "Who do you choose to share your pain?"

Leonardo gasped for breath. "No one... No one else..."

"Unacceptable," Splinter snapped. "How about Michelangelo?"

Leo's eyes went wide. "No one please!"

Raphael snapped. "Take me instead, Master."

Donatello jumped up. "No, me."

Michelangelo just whimpered.

Splinter went calmly to each of them and hit them in one shin. Then, equally calm, he erased the lines. The turtles looked at each other blankly and then went to kneel in front of Splinter. "Each of you has endured only a faction of the time that May has been confined." All of them looked at each other with shame and then back at Splinter. "She is responsible for another life and anything she does directly impacts the child. If she is punished, her child is punished."

The turtles could not face him. "Oroku Saki values her so long as she has the child, but he will not tolerate insolence or insubordination." His face grew sad. "When my father, Hamato Yuta, was fighting the clan wars, he was taught how to—" He about choked at the memory. "—punish a woman without hurting the child. He was reluctant to teach such techniques to me and Saki, but when Tang Shen was carrying my daughter, he taught her how to defend against such things and she told me about...some of them."

He sighed. "The Shredder will do what he pleases, and she cannot stop him. If it pleases him to dress her well, he will do so. If he wishes to feed her or not, he will do so. But he will value the child—particularly if it is a son—and she will be cared for, at a certain level, so that her child is born to him." He frowned. "And she still has months to go. What did you think she should do with the clothes that she had too small for her body?" Donatello nodded in agreement, and Mikey's face scrunched into a thoughtful frown before nodding. Leonardo's face seemed to clear into a half-hearted acceptance. Raphael crossed his arms, still in obvious doubt, but at least he was willing to think about it. Splinter nodded solemnly. "Let us train."

The turtles each stood and bowed.

May was sure that the next day would be like the previous ones. She ate a little bit of breakfast and went back to the drawing she was working on. She did her exercises and all of her morning routine and debated what to do after lunch when Shredder came in.

She gaped a little at his full regalia and tried to figure out what she had done to attract his attention.

"Come with me," he ordered.

He took her to the atrium and allowed her to walk more or less aimlessly in front of the huge window and down beneath the skylight. He chuckled a little as she stopped to lift her face to the sunlight. She bit her lip and kept her face up to feel the warmth prick her closed eyelids. She walked around a little more in front of the window, watching an ice cream truck stop below to give treats to some children and then a busy intersection with a policeman guiding traffic. It felt unbelievably freeing to see some other view of the city. A tiny boy with something in his hand chased the ice cream truck and the policeman ground traffic to a stop as he dashed into traffic. She whimpered and closed her eyes, certain disaster was close.

"Breathe," Shredder ordered from behind her.

She whirled around and looked at him in confusion. "What?"

"Breathe. The child lived."

She took in a deep breath and nodded and then looked back at the street. The child indeed lived and was currently walking down the sidewalk with a sticky cone of something. She smiled at him, hoping that he got wherever he was going without anything else going wrong. A gentle brush of fingers tickled her back and she instinctively moved forward down the window, letting the warmth make her lethargic.

It was pleasant to be in the second-hand sunlight. It felt warm and enveloping, washing over her skin. Every so often, he would brush her skin to move forward, but not more than that. It was...kind of weirdly soothing. She felt vaguely safe—high above the streets with their bustling and rat racing, in clothes that were warm and fit her well, without worrying about her next meal or the rent or a thousand other things. She yawned behind her hand as she walked, watching the policeman direct traffic, some harsh-faced people in suits try to catch a cab, a plainly dressed dog-walker with a dozen dogs, and other such mundane sights.

"Time for you to be put to bed," he said.

She smiled at the window, watching some pigeons dart in front of her so close she could have touched their feathers. "Warm sunlight has always made me sleepy." She shot him a quick look with a half-hearted smile. "I guess that I'm like a cat in that respect."

He snorted or snickered—it was hard to tell behind the mask—and led her away. A message flashed on the tablet in his hand. May tried not to stare at the tablet, but it was a super bright, high contrast LED and it was all but impossible to avoid looking at it.

He guided her down the hallway to the elevator and the tablet beeped again. They slid into the elevator and he glanced at it again and growled before dismissing the message and tucking it into his belt. He guided her to the door of her suite and opened it up.

"What time do you want dinner?" she asked quickly.

"Not tonight. You will have a tray brought up," was all he said as he closed the door.

May breathed a sigh of relief and felt dizzy at the sudden release of pressure. She skipped back to the nursery and her catalogues. The tank she had first worn was long gone, but she had kept the pants folded in the back of her closet and she slid those on.

But they didn't button. They didn't even zip.

She sighed and folded them back up.

The next weeks were largely the same—sporadic visits breaking up the monotonous solitude with supervised walks around the building. Her trays resumed and while they were good, they settled into a pattern of meals. May began to get stir-crazy, wanting to sleep for days and then unable to sleep at all.

Then she received the reminder of her doctor's appointment. She couldn't believe that she had forgotten it, but somehow it had been buried under all of the silence. She washed carefully and put on the kimono top and skirt. Her face was gleeful as she was escorted out to the office and not even the man with her could squelch it.

He twisted a loose tendril of hair around his finger and then yanked it. May jumped and yelped, looking at him. "Do not think to make me jealous. Or to question your loyalties."

She glanced away and nodded, rubbing her scalp slightly. The lights flickered outside and they were suddenly at the office. She looked down at the ground as she was led inside again. The examination was swift and impersonal and she let her mind drift a bit.

"Miss?" the doctor repeated and May glanced at him, nodding silently. "Come to the next room."

She gathered the paper robe around her and went into the next room where several computer screens were set up around a large computer with wires looping like spaghetti beside yet another examination table. Dr. Ken pulled out a wand—it resembled an electric toothbrush with no bristles—and laid her on the table. He flicked on several of the monitors and began wiggling around the wand. May gasped a little as it seemed to poke her in odd places, but with a glance from the icy eyes of Shredder, she bit her lip and waited.

"As far along as you are now and with this new scanning technology, there isn't as much of a need for you to have a full bladder," Dr. Ken explained. "But we should see something in a moment or two..."

The image suddenly resolved from a static filled cone to a head. May stilled, watching the head bobble along and then seem to turn. Dr. Ken moved the wand and the screen was filled with what definitely was a baby. Shredder put a hand on her shoulder, the gauntlet blades curving over her chest, but not touching her.

Dr. Ken hit buttons and began to take pictures from angles. He glanced up at Shredder and asked, "Did you want to know the sex?"

"Yes," the other man grunted.

Dr. Ken nodded and twisted the wand to show the baby's bottom and with a few keystrokes, he put in a line and typed in "boy".

"Ayheiii," hissed Shredder in amazement. Moving closer, he put a careful hand on May's belly, considering that his son was inside of her. The image moved and the baby seemed to make a tentative, weak kick.

Dr. Ken kept taking pictures, considerably more relaxed. Even May relaxed, amazed at seeing the child seem to turn away from them. Dr. Ken smiled at her and said, "Have you picked out a name for him yet?"

Shredder answered, still staring at her stomach, "Maji."

Dr. Ken glanced up at the ninja master and nodded nervously again. Then he pulled out the strip of pictures and handed them over before leaving to allow May to get dressed. May slid into her clothes, feeling bashful all of a sudden in the gleaming light of the ninja master's eyes.

Dr. Ken came back in and went through his speech of calling him if she had questions or emailing him or his nurses. She nodded quietly, staring at her hands in her lap. He smiled benignly and looked at Shredder. "She is a real Yamato Nadeshiko, isn't she?" Shredder nodded and put his hand on her shoulder. "It's so refreshing to see a lady who is so...modest and reserved."

Shredder nodded again and began to lead her out. Dr. Ken smiled again at her and congratulated them again before showing them to the front door. Dr. Ken smirked again as he saw the larger man's sweeping cloak wrap around her as they walked to the waiting car.

May slid into the car and folded her hands as he climbed in. She buckled her seat belt and looked out the window. She watched as the lights begin to slide past her window.

His hand pulled on her shoulder. "'A real Yamato Nadeshiko'? How amusing." She sat back in the seat and looked sadly at her folded hands. "A pure woman who is modest, obedient, reserved and proper. What if he knew what your really are?"

May said nothing, bracing herself mentally. What could he call he that she hadn't called herself already?

"But...a son," he sighed. His hand drifted to her stomach. "The next generation of the clan..."

She was not surprised to be led to his suite when they got back. She leaned against the kitchen counter, facing the gray granite. Of all the insufferable things...! Of course he'd be thrilled with a son. She closed her eyes, suddenly feeling her stomach clench.

He took off his gauntlets and set them on the table and turned her around. "My son..." he sighed with satisfaction, gently stroking open the kimono top and spreading his hands over her stomach. "He is Oroku Maji, after my father." She looked at his hands timidly and he cradled her stomach. He tugged her shirt open completely and began to stroke her all over. Laughing boldly, he gently squeezed her flesh. "And we will eradicate the freaks together."

She tried to stand still, but all she wanted was to push him away. Unfortunately, he was determined to touch her all over and she was trapped against the counter. She looked at the floor, trying to pretend that Splinter was touching her.

He laughed again heartily, stepping closer to her. "A fine son," he sighed again. "You have done well, Shen."

May looked up at him suddenly, her brow furrowed. "Shen?" she whispered. He looked up sharply and fiercely and she looked down again.

"My son will be kicking soon," he mused. "I will be close to feel that." He purred at her. "Very close."

She only nodded. At his command, she pulled the same tub of cream from his kitchen drawer and opened it. He smeared it on her and she counted the seconds until he was done. Her mind wandered, wondering what the turtles were doing now.

"You are happy for us," he said, more of an order than a question. She glanced up at him and then down at her stomach, nodding shallowly. "I want you to be happy for us."

May felt her face grow pale. Did he not realize who he was with? Or was this some kind of weird mind game? She trembled and set her hand on her slick stomach. "I am very happy...for us," she whispered.

He laughed again and squeezed her again. "After all these years, a son! A son." He felt himself growing lighthearted. "Oroku Maji..."

He led her to the door. "You must be tired. When I return tomorrow, we will celebrate."

She nodded and tried to smile at him. "I am very tired," she echoed. "Thank you." She stayed in the kitchen area with the fake smile on her face as he closed the door. Then she collapsed to the floor. She shook with fear as though someone had dumped a bucket of cold water on her head. For a moment, it seemed like...he had not known her, like he was talking to someone else. All of the contentment and peace she had found in the sunlight earlier vanished like a mirage in the desert. She remembered Splinter's story—how Shen died. Now, she wondered if he would repeat history—and if she was next. What was she going to do now?

Splinter sat in his meditation, focusing on everything and nothing. He took in a deep breath. Then his mind drifted into void. He released his breath slowly. He allowed his mind the luxury of focusing on May. He had not taken the time to develop a proper rapport with her—they had only begun their meditations together—but he did like the idea that maybe there was still some tenous connection there.

A wave of pure panic hit him so hard that it took his breath away. He tried to focus, tried to find the source, but it was spinning around him like a whirlwind. His inner eye opened and he tried to find calm, but there was only panic. He found a mental focus, a single tigerlily. He smiled, feeling some measure of calm. But as he focused on it, he found that it was a sickly flower with a drooping stem. A petal fell and then was blown away in the panic. He forced himself to take a deep breath and pictured putting healthy soil around the flower and pouring healing water on it. To his relief, the mental picture seemed to respond, the flower perking up a little. He pulled his breath in deeply.

The meditation ended abruptly, the picture fading. He was glad he was kneeling or the reeling in his head would have dropped him to his knees. He looked at the empty corner sadly. Tipping his head back, he spoke softly again. "Shen, if you can hear me, May needs you. She is alone with Saki..."

May could not sleep that night and consequently was drained the next morning. She barely slogged through the morning exercises and picked at her meals. The very thought of trying to figure out Shredder's mood drained her terribly. Listless, she cleaned up and dressed and read quietly to herself. The sun slid across the sky in its course and May watched with fear as it slid to the far horizon. She saw it set over the cityscape and the moon shine down. The first few stars came out and she tried to tell herself that he wasn't coming. After another half hour—when it was fully dark and the stars glittered down on her like tears—she decided that he was busy or forgot or any of a dozen pleasant excuses and pulled out the nightshirt to put on. Then the door opened. She whirled around, telling herself that it was probably yet another tray of food. She knew it wasn't, but she told herself that anyway to stop herself from screaming.

Of course it was him. His armor gleamed in the light almost as much as his eyes glittered with amusement. May flushed and went to put the nightshirt down, but he chuckled and said, "Bring it with you..."

May thought about dropping it, throwing it down, or anything, but she folded it absently and went with him. The thought of simply running from him was almost overpowering, but there was nowhere to run. And the idea that running might anger him froze her blood to ice. So, the logical thing to do was to simply obey him.

His room was softly lit with a few candles. Dinner had been set up—steamed vegetables, an exquisitely cut and grilled steak, baked sweet potato, and goblets of something the color of moonlight that bubbled. Soft twanging music that reminded her of the type of music that Splinter liked echoed in the silence of the room and her eyes filled with tears for a moment at the memory.

Saki watched as she took in the scene and her eyes misted. He chuckled and guided her to a seat before setting his armor aside. They ate again in silence and he was amused that she seemed to sway ever so slightly to the music. He had even thought of dessert—a cobbler of berries that glistened like jewels. She smiled at the dessert and took tiny nibbles as though to stretch it out.

Dinner could not last forever, of course, and May trembled as he pulled her to her feet. Without his armor, there was nothing keeping him from crushing her. She stood in front of him unsteadily and he laughed as he pulled her shirt completely off of her. May puffed in a breath as the cooled air hit her skin and watched as he laved the cream over her smooth skin. It seemed that now that he knew he had a son, he took extra care to caress every inch. He pulled her into the sitting area and sat on the couch with her perched in front of him between his legs. Once he had laid her on his chest to his liking, he again began caressing her belly. She felt her mind wandering again, but it snapped to attention when his deep voice talking to the unborn infant. She listened silently as he spoke of his hatred for Splinter, for the turtles and the vengeance that he would take on all of them. Her heart sank to her feet at the vicious words and she felt her mind go blissfully numb.

She didn't even realize she had drifted off until he pulled a blanket over them. She tried to sit up quickly, but he was too fast for her and had an arm around her waist before she had done more than lift her head. He tucked the blanket around her carefully, maintaining a firm grip on her thickening waist, and then even her arms were wrapped up. She took in a deep, sleepy breath and let herself go numb again as he continued to stroke her.

Something beeped and he looked over at the tablet that was glowing on the other end of the couch. With a heavy sigh, he let her up, amused that she wrapped the blanket around herself. May looked around for her shirt—either of them—and he cursed violently. Growling, he tossed the tablet aside and May decided to simply stay wrapped in the blanket to let him lock her up again.

"I'd better put you back," he said in an almost playful tone. "I wouldn't want to despoil my Yamato Nadeshiko." He cocked his head. "Unless you want to wait for me here?" She trembled and dared to shake her head as he laughed. "So modest."

In a moment, she was back in her bedroom. She dropped the blanket and fished out another top. Dropping like a stone onto the mat, she yelped as her wrist struck something hard. Pulling aside the pillows, she stared at the new eye bolt in the wall just under the bouquet of tigerlilies. The dust from drilling the wall was still on the sheet and she shook just looking at it.

That night, Splinter went to the youngest son and asked for some chalk. Michelangelo brought out the box of sidewalk chalk he had held onto and Splinter took out a few pieces—orange, brown, and green. Silently, Splinter waited until everyone had gone to bed and then slipped out. It was dangerous business to get to the roof, but Leonardo had been very precise in the balcony and its location. Donatello had managed to occasionally get a feed from the video system and they had a good idea of the blind spots in the camera ranges. So, with a measure of luck and considerable skill, the master made it to the right one. At 12:10, the camera feed went into some kind of automatic sweep and he had a few minutes as it moved and readjusted.

May awoke the next morning—a dark and grey one that looked about to storm—and wanted to only close her eyes again when something caught her eye. It was too brilliant to not notice as she awoke—the orange and green gleamed in the morning haze. May went over to the patio and stared at the chalk tigerlily that had been hastily drawn on the wall to her balcony.

Tears flowed down her cheeks in gratitude and she knelt in front of the glass doors as she thought of the terrible danger that Splinter or one of the turtles had courted to bring her a tiny sign. She felt almost unworthy of it. The rains echoed her tears and she wept as the chalk drawing slid into streaks of orange and green.

Her door lock rattled and she gulped and ran to the bathroom to cover her eyes with a washcloth. Shredder stomped in, his armor ringing and he simply cornered her in the bathroom. May gulped and put down the washcloth.

"Good m-m-morning," she stammered.

He shot her a look of venom and ice. Almost casually, he wrapped a gauntleted hand around her throat. "They were here last night."

May couldn't figure out what to do with her hands for a moment. She wanted to pull his hand away but she couldn't without cutting herself on the blades.

He studied her wriggling with cold eyes. "You knew this... How?"

She tried to shake her head, but his hand was huge and practically gripped her from chin to shoulder. "No... I didn't know anyone was here..."

He frowned and pulled her out of the bathroom. Then he saw the last of the orange and green stain being washed away by the rain. He pulled her close, letting the blades on his other hand graze her skin. "What does that mean?"

"It was a tigerlily," she whimpered.

"What does it mean?" the ninja master growled at her. "I have been generous with you, but I can be cruel."

"It doesn't mean anything," she whimpered. "It is my favorite flower is all that it means."

Saki looked at the wall with the immense bouquet and then his pet. "Is that truly all it means?"

She nodded, feeling his grip tighten.

"Then you won't mind moving." He pulled her back against him and put the gauntlet blades in front of her face. "You won't mind at all, will you?"

"No," she whimpered brokenly.

"Good," he purred suddenly. "Let him come for you and find nothing." His voice rose in a devilish way. "Or let him find us." He laughed softly in her ear. "Yes...I think that would be...appropriate, don't you?"

He didn't give her time to answer and pulled her across the hallway. Shoving her down on his own bed and setting a knee on her hip, he wrapped each of her wrists in a cable tie. Then he looped a third one through the eyebolt in the head of his bed and through the loops on each wrist. Lightning fast, she was tied to his bed. She pulled futilely at the cable ties.

"It is very secure," Shredder said with a dry chuckle. "Although I hadn't anticipated using it so soon." He patted her hip and felt her jerk. "It would have happened eventually, though—I find that I like the idea of several sons."

May swallowed nervously and stared up at him. He began to causally take off his armor and set it aside on the stand. "How long will I be here?"

"As long as I wish it," he answered, removing the heavy shoulder armor. "But you will keep the schedule that I keep. You and I will sleep here and then we rise together as is proper for a Yamato Nadeshiko." He set aside the leg armor and simply got ready for bed, taking a shower as though it were perfectly natural. He laid down beside her and let a hand run over her. "Unless you want to offer more to your master?"

She shook her head and he sighed theatrically. "Then we will wait until the rat appears again. You probably should hope it is soon."

She nodded and then caught herself with a gasp. He laughed again and from somewhere pulled a vial of liquid. "Because I can't trust you," he offered in the way of explanation as he jammed it into her mouth.

May gagged and jerked her helpless hands. He only shrugged and settled down to sleep, running a hand over her hip. In minutes, the room spun dizzily and she fell into a drugged sleep listening to his laugh and feeling his rough hand on her skin.

Saki curled around her and arranged her to his liking. For years he had envied Yoshi as he retired each night to a warm and willing wife in his bed. Once he had burst in on them by accident. Master Yuta had summoned them both and he had run to Yoshi's room to pass on the message. Expecting Yoshi to be alone, he was shocked when he found Shen sleepily scowling at him as Yoshi rose from his futon. He had been momentarily speechless as the sheets had gaped a little and showed her bare skin. Yoshi had thrown a pillow at his head and told him he'd be there in a minute. He had ducked easily—they had a long standing, brotherly tradition of trying to surprise each other and throwing pillows, after all—but was entranced at the play of light and shadows as Yoshi had tucked her back in.

He had complained to Master Yuta, expecting Yoshi to get into trouble for sneaking a woman into his room. Instead, the elder had just laughed. "I have snuck a woman in here before. I would be more surprised if my sons didn't try it at least once." Saki looked surprised for a moment and Yuta smiled shrewdly. "I do not think that the problem is that a woman was in here last night, but instead that it was Tang Shen."

"That's...!" Saki sputtered.

Yuta smiled again, wisely and mysteriously. "My son, if Tang Shen did not choose you, then there will be someone who will. There are many women who favor you if you would only look." Saki crossed his arms and looked away angrily. "But remember that it is her choice..."

He grinned at the windows. He welcomed Yoshi to burst in and feel that pang of surprise and anger at finding the woman he desired in his enemy's bed. The translucent ties would be easily hidden in the sheets and it would appear that she was willingly tucked in and cuddled up close to him. He could just see Yoshi's face fall and then turn to anger at the sight right before he was gutted. With that pleasant thought in mind, he let his hand skim Sakura's body again, pushing up the shirt and down the collar, making her appear tussled. With a playful growl, he nipped her neck a few times, delighting in the red welts. Saki had spent most of the night tracking the rat and his disciples and after arranging a particularly damning scene, he settled around her to sleep and await his enemy's arrival. If not tonight, then some night soon. With that pleasant thought, he settled into sleep.

Almost immediately, he found himself dreaming. _He looked around in amazement as he stood on the porch of the Hamato dojo. He remembered every beam, every nook and cranny of this place. In a dizzy moment, he looked around and saw Tang Shen walking towards him. He smiled as she approached and went down the wooden steps to greet her._

 _She walked up to him and he was relieved that in this dream, she appeared whole and alive. He held open his arms and she fell into them. He embraced her in relief and felt her alive and warm against him._

 _She looked up at him. "Saki, how could you do this to me? To us?" Saki didn't immediately answer and she began to shrill. "How could you? I thought you loved me. I thought I could count on you—trust you!" He backed up as she got louder and more shrill. "You told me that you loved me! How could you?!"_

 _He stumbled back at this uncharacteristic attack. She moved ever closer, hitting at him with her fists and shouting. "Saki, what did you think you were doing? How could you do this?!"_

 _He found himself back on the porch and against something. She kept screaming at him and he grabbed her with both arms to make her stop. In an instant, he heard a shout and saw his younger self with the immense claws on his fists jumping up to attack. It happened so fast that his younger self leapt up and then down with a fierce cry and Shen's body was ripped with long claw marks from her throat to her belly before he had time to so much as turn her away._

 _He dropped to one knee, instantly trying to find some way to repair the damage, but he was covered with blood. He took off his ghi shirt and pressed it to the wounds, shouting for help, but the blood soaked it and pour over the porch and down into the yard. He kept shouting and the blood kept pouring out to cover the entire porch._

 _Then, amazingly, Shen looked up at him and began shouting again. "Do you know what you did, Saki? How can I trust you now? How could you do this to us?"_

 _He dropped the body and moved away, slipping on the blood, as the corpse kept shouting. The eyes rolled to face him, accusing him over and over. Then the blood began to catch fire—_

He awoke swiftly, his eyes—well, one eye really since the right one was so injured in the fire—already scanning the room. Nothing was out of place. There was no blood, no corpse, no fire. He stroked Sakura's belly just to be sure and it was whole and smoothly rounded.

Unsettled, he lay down again and curled up against the woman.

Splinter had not felt such impatience in many years. He had guessed that the chalk would be immediately noticed, and took a gamble that the rains would wash it away quickly. His vision kept haunting him. He kept seeing the petals ripped away from the weak flower and it seemed to feel like May was dying. The turtles had engaged the Foot in another area and he had slipped out as well. It was a highly risky move since he could have easily been seen and he would have unwaveringly punished his sons had they done the same thing. Yet, he would not change his action. She had to have noticed it, known that he had tried to reach her. He wanted to see her tonight, to reassure himself she was well, but it was likely too soon to risk it. It was not artistic—he had no talent for drawing, let alone chalk drawing—but he hoped he had gotten the message through to her.

The turtles trained diligently with him. There was a different tenor to the training now. It was more than a daily routine and preparation for the night now. It was preparation for war to get May back. They had carefully finished the hidden room, putting in the new hidden door, along with a foam mattress that someone had thrown out and some bottles of water and stored foods like granola bars. All of the baby things had been washed and stored safely out of the way, just waiting for her to return.

He was proud of them. It was hard at first, but they had come together. Donatello reminded them of her progress, learning all manner of medical jargon in the process. Leonardo was their backbone, holding them upright and together. Michelangelo continually joked—usually starting with "When May gets back..." or "Won't she be surprised when she sees...?"

Raphael was the one that was having the most difficulty, though. He was still quietly fuming about it. He never said that she was never returning, but he would get a glint in his eye that suggested if she didn't, there would be blood in the streets. He had never shared what she wrote to him in her last letter and no one mentioned it to him. Splinter sighed. He had tried to get Raphael to meditate with him, to channel the rage, but Raphael still preferred to go on his own way in solitude. Tonight, they would try again to channel his anger before it boiled out over everyone. Splinter smirked to himself. It was almost just as well that Shredder still hunted them since it gave Raphael an acceptable vent for his fury.

Raphael knocked on his door and Splinter told him to come in. His son came in and knelt, cradling his knuckles. "Let's get this over with," he growled.

Splinter raised an eyebrow. "This is not something to 'get over with'."

"Yes, Master," he replied sullenly.

"Now, breath deeply," Splinter instructed.

"Master? I got a question," Raphael suddenly asked.

Splinter looked at the turtle. "Yes?"

"Why don't you use your mental stuff to contact May?"

Splinter sighed heavily and then looked at Raphael seriously. "I did not take the time to form a proper rapport with her." Raphael looked surprised, his mouth gaping. "It was entirely my fault."

Raph glared at the fists in his lap. "Oh."

"You can channel your anger," Splinter continued. "You can also learn from my mistake and form a rapport with your brothers—"

"I want her back!" Raphael snapped suddenly.

Splinter sighed again. "I do too, Raphael. But we must be prepared."

"We want to see her," Raphael grunted sullenly. "We were talking about going up and seeing her."

Splinter shook his head. "You do not need to borrow trouble in such a way."

"You did it."

"I was wrong." Splinter shook his head, feeling strange that he had felt so compelled to reach out to her. "It was...juvenile and reckless for me to do it." He looked at the turtle. "But I sense you want to talk... What is it that you are worried about?"

Raph colored. "I want her back. Just like everyone else." He sighed. "I want to go out too."

"And go where?"

Raphael blushed even darker. "I want to check out near Oak Street."

"And what do you think you will find near Oak Street?"

"Nothin'," Raphael hedged.

"Raphael!"

"I've been talkin' to some girls online with Donatello's computer and I want to make sure they are all right." He grunted. "The gangs have been moving around that area."

Splinter smiled shrewdly. "I appreciate your honesty."

For a moment, Raphael was gobsmacked again. "Y-you do?"

Splinter took a moment to chuckle. "It is your right to have a life as well. But be careful because not everyone is as open minded as May and April."

Raphael paused for a moment and then chuckled. He was sure that Splinter would have raised the roof. Instead, Splinter accepted it and...trusted him. That was more stunning than Splinter making mistakes, let alone apologizing for them.

Splinter smiled at Raphael. Of all the turtles, he was the easiest to read because he did not know how to hide emotions other than with anger. It was natural for a young teenager to form attachments and he supposed after fifteen years, it was time for them to begin to make their own ways in the world—up to a point. "Be back for your patrol and do not go near Shredder's building."

Raphael sat there quietly a moment more and nodded. "I'll go up and be right back."

Splinter sighed and watched him leave. Leonardo and Donatello had been whispering for three days now and he supposed it was time to check on his oldest and his genius. It was even early enough that after everyone left, he could listen to some music on his radio. He stood and touched the silk quilt that again hung in his room reverently for luck.

Michelangelo was sitting and quietly playing his game—for once. Splinter looked around and saw no one else in the common room. "Where are your brothers, Michelangelo?"

The turtle glanced at him and replied, "They are in Donatello's lab playing with something."

Splinter raised an eyebrow. This had a bad feeling about it. Going to the lab, he looked sadly at the stack of printouts tacked to the wall. The child was supposed to be very human looking now and, according to the email, they would be able to easily hear the heart beat and maybe determine the sex. She would feel small kicks soon according to the chart. He sighed again as he glanced at the stack of papers. Everything was making him think of her these days.

Donnie and Leo were sitting over a collection of electronic bits and pieces and a map. They were intensely whispering and pointing. Splinter stood silently as they went about it, wondering when they would notice him. If they were plotting to see May, then they would hide the map and pieces as soon as they saw him.

Donatello glanced up first. Leo took one look at his brother's face and swept the pieces aside and began folding the map.

Donatello spoke first. "Sensei! How long have you been waiting for us?"

Leo flinched and turned around, putting the map in his belt.

Splinter looked at them both as they fidgeted. "Do you have something you are planning?" Leo looked at Donnie and they both began protesting but Splinter waved his hand angrily. "Are you planning on seeing May?"

They looked up at him and then each other. Leonardo glanced back guiltily and nodded while Donnie groaned. "We were going to go to the apartment. Donnie thinks he has figured out an ultra-small camera that we can stick to the window—"

"No," Splinter said firmly.

"But nobody will notice it," Donnie said, showing him what looked like a gray pencil eraser. "It will look like caulk on the window, but will transmit to us a black and white image and some sounds—"

"No," Splinter said again. "It is too dangerous. It will be precisely what the Shredder wants and expects."

Leonardo glared at Splinter. "You did it."

Splinter took in a deep breath. "It was a mistake—"

"No," Leonardo said softly. "It was you following your heart." He sighed and tapped his fist on the table. "We want to follow ours."

"Besides," Donatello added. "There's no telling what good information we'll pick up. Maybe plans—"

Splinter sighed and closed his eyes. There was no point forbidding them to go, not when he would never live down that he went. Still, it was worth trying.

"My sons," he said softly. "Please understand that what I did was rash and reckless. I do not want to lose my sons as we have lost May." He reached out to Leonardo and put a hand on his shoulder. "She will return. Donatello has begun planning for it already—"

Donatello gaped up in shock and awe at Splinter. How had his father known he was filling a lot of otherwise empty hours plotting different ways to attack the building? "Well, I wouldn't call it a plan yet..."

Leo looked at his younger brother in amusement. "Oh really?"

Splinter thought for a moment, hearing Mikey tell Raphael good-bye. The other two turtles heard it as well and looked at him with their most mournful looks—the puppydog eyes that they used when they wanted to get around him. He smirked back at them. "Raphael is...following his heart as well." With a shaking head, he added. "Leonardo, it is in your heart to find Karai. Go." Leonardo gulped sadly and then went out solemnly. "Donatello, you have a soft spot for April. Go tell her your heart and let her choose."

Donatello looked down at the shuffled papers and stuff littering the lab table. "She may not see me...in that way."

"You will not know if you do not try."

"Why are you telling us this?" Donnie asked quietly. "Why now?"

"Because, instead of following my heart, I wasted the time I had with May. I should have spent time with her to form a rapport so that she could draw strength."

Donnie nodded uncertainly. He looked down at his hands. How much time had he wasted with April? Always sure that there would be some perfect time to tell her how much he adored her? How many times had the Foot or aliens or mutants gotten in the way of that perfect instant?

Splinter looked at his son's thoughtful face. "There will never be a perfect time. There is only now. Go, for she may not be there tomorrow."

Donnie nodded and left the lab. Mikey was finally looking around in the common room. "Where is everyone going?"

"Out," Donnie muttered.

Mikey shrugged. "Hey dude, pick up some pizza huh?"

Donnie paused. "Sure thing Mikey." He went over to his younger brother and hugged his shoulders. "I love you, bro."

Mikey flushed and paused his game. "I love you too, man. But what's everyone going out for?"

Donnie swallowed hard. "We gotta follow our hearts, Mikey."

"This is like, one of those weird spirit walk things, right?" Mikey looked at his brother curiously. "Well, my heart is hoping to meet a deep dish pepperoni pizza tonight."


	15. Chapter 14

May awoke suddenly, feeling sick to her stomach and aching in her shoulders. She could feel the man beside her moving and sitting up. She wriggled, gasping at the stiff pain in her shoulders and the foul taste that rose to her mouth. Looking at the window, she could see it was evening already.

The Shredder stood and got up to dress in fresh clothes for the evening. May shuddered, still looking at the window. She swallowed and her dry throat cried out for moisture.

"Wait there," she heard from over her shoulder, then a deep chuckle. She could hear the bathroom sounds—water running and so on—and she felt blood heat her cheeks. Hopefully he would let her up soon.

He dressed and began to slide on the armor. "Get up, Sakura," he chided light-heartedly.

She gritted her teeth and shuffled until she was kneeling on the bed. He was already in his armor and sliding on his gauntlets. She looked down at her raw wrists and grimaced at the ties. He slid up beside her and cut the middle one with a throwing knife that he then palmed and put wherever he kept it. The other ties would be useful and he saw no reason to remove them from her wrists.

"Come with me," he growled at her.

She only nodded, but gasped as he pushed her out of the apartment entirely and then into the elevator. He used a keycard and then punched a button before grabbing her wrist. It was far lower than any of the previous times—even below the parking deck entrance—and she shivered. But there was nothing to do but to follow him as he led her down a darkened hallway into a huge room with dim lights.

She stared in horror as she realized that she was in a huge lab. Someone was hunched over a table littered with chemicals and coffee cups and humming to himself. There were several tables with restraints and equipment she wasn't sure she even wanted to know about. But the thing she couldn't help but stare at were the huge glass windows into cells. A few were empty, but many held...creatures...that seemed to be monsters. One appeared to be half-man and half...wolf or dog or mastiff. Another appeared to be...well, maybe it was better not knowing what that was.

She looked down at the hand around her wrist instead. Tears ran down her cheeks as she tried not to look at the examination tables. If she stopped to look, she was sure she would faint from terror.

Shredder chuckled at her pale expression. "You'll spend the evening down here. I think there's enough freaks to keep you...amused." With that, he whipped her around to another door beside an empty room. The door opened into a short hallway between two of the cells and he shoved her into the open one.

For a moment, she couldn't breathe. The room was immense—a huge cement box with a glass window for one wall. There was a drain in the floor and that was it. She could see Shredder go out and talk to the person—who had the head of a fly.

May almost fainted—her eyes grew dim and blood rushed to her head. She sat down heavily and leaned against the wall. She could handle Splinter—he was handsome in his exotic, breathtaking way. The turtles were fine too, but to see all the combinations was dizzying. There appeared to be a skinny person—perhaps a man?—with a boar's head and a wild mohawk in one cage. A rhino-man was in another. Taking a deep breath, she just looked around, trying to imagine that these were really people inside. It made it easier, thinking of them as people in masks or costumes, and her head cleared.

The fly man buzzed up to the window and peered at her. She blinked and began to back away as he studied her. He must have said something because the Shredder paused behind him and replied, but no sound came through the heavy glass. It was like being in a fish tank. The fly man buzzed off, half flying, half walking, and Shredder just left.

It took what felt like an hour for May to start to accept the situation. Idly she tapped on the glass and heard the softest of sounds. Just looking down at the floor she could see it was sunk into the floor and was several inches thick. Sighing heavily, she sat down in a corner to wait.

It was embarrassing, having to pee over the drain, but she did it while the fly's back was turned. He was concentrating on some kind of green goo and testing chemicals on it. May paced, intrigued by his experiments and kind of sadistically hoping that something would explode. The other prisoners would pace and watch and then resume pacing. One was asleep and drooling on the glass.

The most horrifying cage was the one across from her. It was empty, but it was obviously waiting for someone specific. A giant mouse wheel was against one wall and the floor was covered with wood shavings.

Restless herself—she had slept for most of the past day—she got up and paced as well. Her watch reminded her to drink some water, but there was none to be had, so she just let it beep. She did her exercises, which caused several of the creatures to start watching her, including the fly man. Taking a breath and ignoring them, she did the stretches and exercises she remembered. A few of the creatures began comically doing pushups or sit-ups or something, either copying her or mocking her, she wasn't sure which.

Fly-man buzzed up to her window a few times, small drops of—something from what appeared to be his mouth—flecking the glass. He could crawl on the glass, once hanging upside down and watching her intently. She shivered and went to sit down in the back again. Still he watched her—until something flashed on one of the computers and he tossed his head and went over to it.

It was peculiarly timeless in the room. There was no sense of sunlight or night, no time or anything. If she hadn't had her watch, she would have been completely disoriented. She began pacing again, hoping that she could get some water soon. Then the lights over the upper cages went dim and she watched as apparently the upper cages were shut down for the night. Then the next row of cages went dark.

She expected sudden, welcome darkness, but as the lights on her level dimmed, her room's lights stayed on. The glass seemed to shiver and became a mirror on her side, shutting her out. May frowned, glad for the relative feeling of privacy, but worried that she no longer could see anyone coming.

Someone would come for her, right?

She paced and sat and meditated and then paced some more. She was about to start her exercises again when she saw a faint shadow on the glass. For a moment, she stared dumbfounded at it. Then she crept up to the window.

The shadow, still faint, passed in front of the window and it had two large ears on top of its head and a sharply pointed muzzle. She pounded the glass with her fist, ignoring the bruising pain. She screamed, but Splinter did not seem to hear her. He passed several times in front of the glass and then did not reappear. She wailed at the glass, clawing at it, but it was too thick. Defeated, she went to the corner and wept.

The mirror flicked back into a window and she saw the fly man hanging upside down and watching her. She glared at him and the window became a mirror again.

Shredder frowned as he entered the darkened lab and saw the fly crawling on the window and hissing at Sakura. She apparently could not see him or was ignoring him as she paced and rolled her shoulders, but he was following her up and down the glass hungrily. Her cell was the only one lit up—all the other cells and levels were darkened in an artificial night—so her form was lit up like Times Square. Finally, the fly pulled out a remote and one of the little robots projected a hologram of Splinter walking back and forth. She appeared to see an uncertain flicker at that, but apparently the trick had grown old since she simply kept walking. A few of the mutants grumbled, but several of them were watching her as much as the fly, he noted. Two of them were beating about in their cages

"It has been four hours," Shredder growled at the fly. "Do you have any progress on the anti-mutegen?"

The fly fell off the glass and looked over to him in fear. "Well...bzzz...no. I...bzzz...bzzz...was watching another experiment."

Shredder grunted. "I see. And what have you concluded?"

"She'szzzz...delicious." The fly looked up at him and rubbed his hands. "Could I take a...sample of her blood? Just to be sure—"

Shredder growled down at the little coward. "She is mine to punish. If the rat follows her, so be it, but she is to be unharmed."

The fly backed up hurriedly and buzzed away. The ninja master growled and opened the doors to enter her cell. "Did you like my surprise?" he hissed. She glanced around the cell and shook her head 'no'. "Good. Now follow me, unless you'd like to be given to the fly?"

She shuddered and put her hands on her belly. With timid steps, she walked to her normal place beside him. He took her up to her apartment and had her drink, eat and get dressed in clean clothes. She drank a whole bottle of water and an orange juice, took a vitamin and leaned against the counter gratefully.

"Are you done?" he asked.

She nodded and tossed the empty juice bottle in the trash. He only nodded and led her out again. She followed him mutely as he led her down to the atrium and let her walk around the edge of the room. She gazed at the clear, starry night and the amazing reflecting pools. It was soothing to just walk and look at the beauty of the room after being in the concrete cell.

Shredder watched her from a darkened corner and listened to Tiger Claw's report. "The turtles have split up, Master. They are in separate parts of the city, but there is still no sign of the rat."

"Take care of them."

"As you wish," he purred back. "Do you want a...souvenir?"

"I already have what I want from them," Shredder snapped. "Now all I need is the rat."

"If I may make a...suggestion," asked the huge tiger mutant. "I'd let her scent into the sewers to draw the rat out." Shredder glanced at him shrewdly. "The entire lab was unsettled when she was in there—including your...ahh...scientist." He shrugged philosophically. "With so many male mutants, it is only natural that a breeding female would stir them up."

Shredder only growled in response. There had been more than 125 attempts to use override codes on the doors the last hour she had been imprisoned down there. There were a total of 203 attempts in the entire four hours. Not to mention that two mutants had plowed around and damaged their cell doors trying to break out. "She is not to be harmed."

"Of course not. I only need her scent, Master. Not her in the way."

Shredder glanced at her as she looked out the windows at the moon and stars. "There are clothes with her scent on the floor of her apartment."

"Are there any recordings of her voice?" Tiger Claw crossed his arms and thought deeply. "That would be the best of bait if she is, in fact, dear to them."

Shredder grunted, reluctant to release his surveillance videos. Of course, she was so quiet that there might not be many. "One female's scream is like any other."

"As you say." Tiger Claw was not convinced, but humans could not possibly hear as well as he could, so perhaps there wasn't much difference to them. With his hearing, he could detect the scream and it became a harmony, rather than a single note.

Shredder nodded at the mutant in dismissal. Walking up to her, he gestured towards the door. With only a slight backward glance, she walked to him and bowed her head. He liked that—a slight gesture and she would obey. Perhaps her time in the lab had been worth the trouble.

She followed him like a shadow during a good part of the night. She watched as he trained, both with his ninja and by himself. She sat in an adjoining room while he listened to complaints and petitions from his throne. She walked with him everywhere he went, even if she had to jog a bit to keep up with his brisk pace. As he made calls to Japan and Russia, she cooked him a hot meal. It pleased him that not only did Tiger Claw have some easy targets, but he was intrigued by her mute stoicism. Few of his ninja could boast such silence.

May felt absolutely worn out as the night ended. He had been maddeningly impossible to keep up with—constantly turning and addressing someone or commanding something else only to turn again and keep going with that long-legged pace. As he placed international calls, she fixed him a meal of steamed chicken with vegetables and rice. It was a relief to be in the kitchen and out from under his feet. Thankfully, he did not seem to want conversation, because she was sure he wouldn't want to hear what she had to say.

She peeked in the refrigerator and pulled out some juice and set the table. She dropped a table knife and, holding a hand on her stomach, lowered herself down to pick it up. Her stomach was rapidly becoming too large to allow her to move quickly. She sighed and put her hand on the table to help push herself up.

"Only a few more months, baby," she whispered. "Then we can—"

"'We can' what?" Shredder asked silkily behind her.

May squeaked a little and looked over her shoulder as she made it to her feet. "I'm..I'm sorry. I was talking to myself—"

"You were talking to Maji," he clarified, running a finger down her spine. "He needs to hear your voice."

She nodded absently. "I suppose I don't talk to him enough." She looked down at the table, setting the knife down deliberately in his sight. "I don't know what to say half the time."

"You hardly speak at all," Shredder said, pulling off his arm guards and gauntlets lazily. "That pleases me except that you need to speak to Maji."

"I will try to do better," she said softly.

He nodded and waited for dinner to be served. Considering she was putting things together quickly and from memory, it was pleasant enough. She even dimmed the lights for him before sitting down. She ate her vegetables first and then the chicken and a little rice, he noted absently, amused by how precise she was in her eating. Shen had been prone to mixing it all up into a pile on her plate before plowing down the middle.

Replete and finally finished with his own work, he thought about what to do next. She yawned sleepily behind her hand and stood to pick up the dishes and put them in the sink. Standing himself, he walked behind her and trapped her against the counter. It was becoming a habit, he smiled to himself, but the edge pressed her against him in all manner of pleasing ways.

"Are you sorry?" he asked softly. He wasn't sure what he would do if she said 'no', but it sounded good and made her a bit defensive.

She closed her eyes and nodded. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Good," he chuckled. He put his hands on her shoulders. "Now I expect you to continue to obey me."

May shivered and felt tears prick her eyes. Hadn't she obeyed him all this time? Was he going to rape her again? He had claimed he was not going to because of the baby, but she supposed anything was possible.

He led her to the immense bathroom and locked the door. "Bathe me," he smiled. May stiffened in shock. "Please me and you _might_ be more comfortable tomorrow."

She looked him in the eyes and then slowly nodded. Taking down towels and washcloths, she ran a hot bath. She flushed darkly as he stripped his clothes off and put them aside as he stepped into the steaming water. She turned on the jets and then folded a towel to put behind his head as he leaned back. He chuckled as she obeyed him, bathing his arms and legs carefully before going to his chest. It took all of her concentration to not gasp at the immense amount of scarring—old burns mainly but there were some that were obviously some that were from knives and one that looked suspiciously like a bullet hole—across his shoulders and down the side of his face. She gulped as she realized that she didn't have much else to bathe except...there. For lack of something else to do, she set a warm compress across his head. He grimaced and for a moment, reminded her of Michelangelo's grimace when his shoulders were stiff. Taking a deep breath, she gently began rubbing his shoulders and hopefully distract him from the fact that she didn't want to bathe him all over.

He cracked his good eye at her and smiled wickedly. "You are full of surprises." He sighed and flicked some water at her idly. She turned away. "Don't stop now," he teased. "You were just getting interesting."

She took the washcloth from over his temples and dunked it in the hot water again. Swallowing hard, she wrung it out again. "I... It is a bad angle here and I can't reach—"

He chuckled softly and stood up with a splash. Grabbing a towel, he wrapped it around his hips as she looked aside and blushed. She was coming along well, getting used to touching him in return. She would eventually learn to touch him all over. Sooner was better than later, but later was better than not at all.

He looped cable ties and tied her to his bed again. She was acceptably still, not even moving when he got the cream for her skin. He brushed aside the top and began massaging it in. Her skin prickled and her nipples tightened like gumdrops. He laughed at that—he had a weakness for gumdrops. Finally pulling the top over her again, he curled around her with one arm across her belly. "Sleep, Sakura."

Exhaustion finally won out and she fell asleep in his arms, unaware when he sat up behind her.

Splinter sat in the common room with Michelangelo and waited for the others to return. The turtle played his video game endlessly but at least he was out of trouble. His T-Phone beeped and showed a text from Raphael—"On Baker Street and still no luck."

Donatello texted, "Dude, we don't want to know. W/ April."

Two more texts appeared—"Donnie has a g/f. WEG" and "No luck here either."

Splinter sighed heavily as they teased each other. Michelangelo paid no attention, concentrating on his game. It was...complicated living with teenagers. Going to his room, he sat down and closed his eyes to meditate again.

Then a scream echoed in the tunnels. He leapt up and went to the entrance of the lair. Mikey had dropped his controller and stood with him listening keenly to the fading echoes of the scream. Mikey gaped up at him in confusion.

The turtle crept out first. "April? Is that you?" he called into the tunnels.

Another scream rang out. Splinter took a few hesitant steps outside with his whiskers twitching. There was only the faintest whiff, but he could smell May's scent outside. "May?" he breathed softly.

"Whether it's May or not, someone needs help, Master," Mikey cried.

Splinter's brow wrinkled in confusion. Was it at all possible? Was there someone, something, that had changed or taken pity and...she was free? "Get your brothers," he ordered softly.

Michelangelo pulled out his phone as Splinter went a few paces down the tunnels. The scent was stronger down the left tunnel. He concentrated, trying to figure out what might have happened.

Another scream echoed and Mikey darted out past Splinter. "We'll get her back, Master," he called before shouting, "May! Where are you?"

Splinter rubbed his eyes wearily. If it was May, she would quickly be found. If it was a trap, then the others were already coming. Either way, there would be a fight tonight. He went to sit down on the couch to wait.

A few hours later, the turtles came in with their usual assortment of bruises and injuries. They patched up as best they could and began to wander to bed. Leonardo was the last to leave, taking out a shredded shirt of some soft, stretchy material and putting it on the floor in front of Splinter.

Splinter couldn't breath for a second. "What happened, my son?"

"She wasn't there," Leo admitted. "We followed the trail for what felt like hours and all it was were a few dozen Foot bots and Tiger Claw with a mp3 player." Leo looked up at the wise rat. "Why? Is there something...wrong with May? Is she...?"

Splinter shook his head slowly. "There are no blood stains on the shirt. She is likely well—"

"In the Shredder's hands?" Leo asked.

Splinter thought hard. "It is a message—"

"He wants us to come up and fight for her?" Leo grinned wildly.

Splinter shook his head thoughtfully. "He does not want you. It is a message to me." Leo swallowed his gasp of shock. "He would not harm her after all this time waiting when a few months more will allow her to have a healthy child." The rat plucked at his whiskers. "It is a message for me to come to him."

"Will you end it, Master?"

Splinter sighed. "Violence never solved anything." He picked up his cane. "But in this case, I think I do owe our enemy the effort of a reply."

"Can I come with?" the turtle asked.

"You stay here and watch over the others."

Saki stretched out lazily on the bed, still half asleep. He sensed more than saw the eyes watching him. Sakura laid beside him, her hands buried beneath the pillows. She had fallen asleep quickly in her exhaustion and had no idea of the sudden tension in the room. Looking at the eyes glittering from the balcony, he slid the blade out and let it glisten in the dim shadows of the room.

The eyes glittered on the balcony, but did not move.

Saki laughed softly, letting his free hand push the loose top down off her shoulder and then slide the bottom of the stretchy top up and expose her belly. Her skin was so pale that some of his "love bites" still were dark spots on her. She muttered softly, shivered slightly and settled again into her dreams.

Saki twirled the blade again. His hand landed on her sensitive breast and she wriggled. He leaned on one elbow and whispered into her ear, "Stay still, my Sakura, if you value your life and the life of your baby."

Suddenly awake, Sakura started a little to hear the angry hiss and she screwed her eyes shut tightly. "It's so late," she whimpered.

He laughed a little in her ear and kissed her neck. "Perhaps, my flower," he whispered. "But I cannot keep my hands from you." He locked his gaze with the one outside. He pushed the top down further, letting her breasts spill out onto the sheets. The cooler air prickled her skin and made her nipples tight. "Stay still and you will be rewarded."

Sakura sighed wearily and buried her face in the pillows in a futile attempt to find the lovely dreams she had been enjoying. His lips tickled on the skin of her neck and then to her shoulder. He nipped her playfully and her head snapped up sleepily to turn towards him. "Still my love," his voice grated, dripping with poisoned sweetness. With a frown, she laid down again and buried her face in her arms.

Splinter glared at the man inside as he caressed the woman. He was being baited—and poorly at that. The man he had called his brother was trying to force him to attack in anger. Saki's face twisted into a frown as his hand stroked her stomach and began to play with her flesh. Sakura seemed to have awakened briefly but buried her face in the pillows. She did not seem to otherwise object to his coarse caresses.

Saki grunted, pressing lewdly against the almost naked woman. He angrily growled and thought, _"Do I need to fuck her in front of you rat?"_ Putting down the dagger, he squeezed her breast and nipped her again.

Splinter pulled out a dagger of his own and made a gesture of slitting his throat and then pointed it at Shredder. Saki grinned evilly at him, licking her neck and nipping her ear lobe. Splinter growled in his throat, furious that she seemed to lay there and do nothing. Could she possibly be...enjoying it?

Sakura shuddered, feeling the uneven lips glide over her. She pulled on her wrists and the pillows slid away as ice froze in her veins. Finally opening her eyes, she looked around. Her eyes looked out the window and she saw the glittering eyes on the patio.

Her eyes went wide, staring at the mournful and furious expression on Splinter's face and her heart stopped. He looked heartbroken. Her mouth went abruptly desert dry and she felt every muscle in her body give up entirely. Without strength, she slumped against the Shredder.

Splinter's eyes glittered as she all but collapsed against his enemy. He looked at her sternly as her face went white. Then he smiled wickedly at the man and jumped down out of sight.

She could no longer even manage to stay upright. The warm body behind her was the only thing keeping her sitting up and only the arm that wrapped around kept her from sliding off the bed entirely. Splinter had seen her—with her breasts spilling out and the enemy's hands and mouth all over her. She looked down at her bound wrists sadly and no tears could come out of her frozen heart.

Shredder laughed joyously. "Amazing performance, my flower." He gripped her breast tightly, ignoring her whine of pain. With a single swipe, he cut the ties to the headboard and pulled her against him. His blood sang in his veins and burned brightly. "His face was...priceless."

Sakura felt weightless in his arms and he was burning hot against her icy skin. Her mind refused to process anything else but the horrified look on Splinter's face. His muscled arms slid around her and arched her all the way against him from shoulders to knees. His body was hard—so hard—everywhere and his laugh jerked through her. Black spots danced in front of her eyes and she closed them gratefully as he laid them both down to sleep again.

Saki replaced the knife wherever it was pulled from and pressed against her. His hands could not stop touching her all over like an explorer running all over a new land. He grinned at the swell of her stomach and patted it lightly. For all that he felt like he could press his hot-blooded advantage, his concern was the child's safety. Besides, she now had nowhere to run that he could not follow instantly and now she had nowhere to hide—and she knew it—so there would be other opportunities.

Splinter did not return that night and when the turtles awoke the next morning, they could not find him. Leonardo frowned and looked at the abandoned rag on the floor. He ordered everyone to stay put—even Casey and April. Raphael growled at him and went slamming into his room to text someone about the orders. Without guidance, Leo let the others skip training for the morning. Then he let them skip training that afternoon as they began to mutter about Splinter's absence. It was all too much to cope with.

The day finally passed and Leo began to rouse everyone from their stupors to go on patrol. Raphael was finally done texting and ready to fight. Donnie had gotten the message out to Casey and April and then begun fiddling with some device. Mikey had simply gotten bored and now followed Leo around like a lost puppy. Leo sighed. If they did manage to get out and about, he wondered if they would end up doing more harm than good tonight.

Splinter finally limped inside as they were leaving. Without saying a word and dripping from the tips of his ears to the end of his tail with rainwater, he slunk away to his room.

Leo heard him collapse on the mats and cautiously peeked inside. "Master?" he whispered.

Splinter was still dripping wet and bowed almost double against the floor. Somehow, he looked a hundred years older. He didn't even look at Leo as the turtle came into the room.

"Master?" Leo whispered again, hearing the others scramble to the open door. He didn't answer and Leo looked over at the door. "Mikey, get some towels. Donnie, get the medical kit and some blankets. Raph, let's get him warmed up with a bath and some soup."

Donnie flushed. "I'm gonna call April and see if she can come over to help us out."

"Good idea," Leo nodded. "Have her bring some tea and some soup."

Everyone leapt into action, gathering supplies and setting up a hot bath behind the screen, fresh clothes, warm towels and the medical kit. Leo swallowed heavily and crossed his fingers because Splinter didn't even move in all the commotion. Very carefully, Leo helped him up and between them all, they got him in the warm bath.

April showed up with a wet paper bag containing a container of hot-and-sour soup and a container of chicken noodle soup, along with a small bag of fried wonton strips and a box of crackers. Donnie smiled at her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"How is he?" she asked quietly. "Where has he been?"

Leo swallowed heavily as everyone looked at him. "I don't know." He looked down at the rags that were still on the floor. "Umm...let's get him settled and warm and then we'll talk."

April looked up at Donnie in utter confusion and Donnie pressed a kiss to her forehead. "It'll be all right, April. We'll get him through it."

Mainly through prodding and finally through force, they got their father in and out of a hot bath and in fresh clothes. April tossed the wet things over the pipes like she had seen May do and hoped that the chilly autumn rain would get out of them quickly. They gave him some soup and Leo and Raph bullied him into drinking it all before he laid back down and curled up for sleep.

"Still not a word," Raph growled. "Leo—give man. What the heck happened?"

"He said that Shredder was sending him a message and that he was going to reply," Leo paraphrased. "Then he was gone."

"He wasn't in battle," Donnie frowned. "At least, not that I can tell."

"It's like...his heart was broken," April whispered. Everyone looked at her in shock and agreed silently that she was right. "Is...did May...?"

"We don't know," Leo said angrily. "But tonight we're going to stay here and keep watch. If Splinter's down, we owe it to him to be here when he needs us." He thought for a moment. "I'll keep up for two hours. In an hour, Mikey, you come in. Then you Raph and last Donnie. We'll be up for two hours at a time, but overlapped so that we can each get rest."

Splinter was grateful to be warm and dry. He didn't recall all the details, but he was home again and warm and dry and that was tremendously better than where he had been. His boys had bullied and cajoled and whined until he had bathed, dressed and eaten. He could hear April's voice with relief. The family was whole again and he could finally rest.

 _His dreams came swiftly and he was standing in a flowering field. Somewhere in the distance was an indistinct form of a city and in the other direction was the fuzzy shape of a dojo. Enthusiastic, he went to the dojo. It was a relief—it felt like he was coming home after a long journey. He ran further, the dojo coming closer and he could feel the sunlight on his skin and the smooth cobblestones of the walkway under his feet. When he got to it, he could smell the warm pine beams and the bitter incense his father had always used._

 _"Father," he called out joyfully. "I'm home."_

 _The old man came out, dressed as always in his white ghi. His bald head gleamed in the sunlight and Splinter ran forward eagerly to embrace his father._

 _The old man grunted angrily and held up a hand. Splinter stopped and bowed respectfully before charging up the steps. Yuta hugged him back and then led him inside. "Father—it has been so long. Is Shen here? Where is Miwa? Where—"_

 _"My son," the old man sighed. "I do not know what to make of you." He scratched the bottom of his chin as they sat down in the dojo. "I have tried to teach you and still you do not listen. You are almost as bad as Saki."_

 _Splinter's mouth hung open for a moment. "Father, I don't understand..."_

 _"The girl!" the old man snapped. "That's what I mean."_

 _"Shen? Where is she?" Splinter grinned. "Where is—"_

 _Old Master Yuta reached over and slapped him on the back of the head. "Now listen to me well, my son." He knelt again. "I raised you better than that." Splinter touched the aching knot on the back of his head. "You are going to go and get that girl back."_

 _"Get Shen back?" Splinter asked in confusion._

 _"No, not Shen. She is here so I have the good fortune of knowing exactly where she is. No, I mean the new girl with her baby."_

 _Splinter frowned and tried to explain. "She is with Saki now, Father."_

 _Master Yuta smacked his head again. "I trained you better than that." He knelt again. "Now where did you leave her?"_

 _Splinter scowled even more angrily. "I left her where she wanted to be—with Saki."_

 _"You left her alone," Yuta grumbled with a frown. "I suppose it was the best you could do since you let yourself be seen. But you will go back to get her."_

 _Splinter sputtered. "But Father, I already have a fine wife and a daughter—"_

 _"And soon there will be a new son," Yuta snapped at him. "Boy, I do wonder if sometimes you didn't inherit your mother's scatterbrained nature. She was a good woman, but she was a Rabbit and she could let her emotions get the better of her at times." Splinter swallowed heavily as Yuta looked him in the eyes. "You let your emotions get the better of you, didn't you? You couldn't wait—you went running into a trap and then let him make you so furious that you couldn't see straight."_

 _Master Yuta sighed heavily. "It was my fault, of course. I thought that I could save Saki, help him to be better than his father and end the clan wars. I thought that I could give you a brother and him a better life and all I did was make the wars worse and lose my family, my granddaughter, and my life all at once." He shot a stare at Splinter. "And now you must choose whether or not you will make things worse or better."_

 _"Saki will only become enraged if I take his woman," Splinter hissed. "He never could understand—"_

 _"Giving a woman the choice?" Yuta finished wisely. "Apparently neither do you. Would you choose for her? Or give her the choice?"_

 _Splinter said nothing for a moment. "You weren't there, Father."_

 _"Oh really?" Yuta's eyes gleamed for a moment. "Then how do I know that she wanted to be with you?"_

 _"Saki was all over her. Her skin was marked—" He shuddered distastefully._

 _"And she agreed to it all? Wholeheartedly?" Yuta smiled at Splinter's confusion. "She accepted it freely of her own choice? Or was she trying to do the best she could for her child?" Yuta sat back a little. "Tell me, where did Miwa get delivered?"_

 _Splinter was flustered. "In a hospital." He shrugged. "Shen insisted."_

 _"Wise girl. I always did approve of her." Yuta smiled briefly. "And where was this new girl—"_

 _"May, Father."_

 _"May. Where was she going to deliver? On a table? On the floor of a sewer?" Yuta scratched his chin again. "And you would know how to turn her baby? How to clear it's mouth and nose? How to—"_

 _"Apparently Saki is doing all that," Splinter snorted flippantly, earning another slap on the head._

 _"He is paying the bills, true, but what about her heart?" Yuta smiled thinly at him. "No matter how much power he thinks he has, he cannot conquer her heart. No matter how much money he has, he cannot buy it. No matter how many men follow him, they cannot steal it." Yuta patted his older son's shoulder. "Perhaps, that is why Saki wants it so much."_

 _"He has always wanted what he can...not have," Splinter nodded._

 _"Now you are thinking," Yuta smiled. "A woman is the softest and strongest thing the earth can bear. Her giri is to bring forth life and nurture it. She will go through any pain, any trouble, any heartache to fulfill this duty. The wise man knows this, knows when to step aside and when to intervene. The time is coming for your choice—will you allow the wars to continue or will you choose to stop them?"_

 _"But how? How can I stop them?"_

 _"By fulfilling your giri," the old man answered faintly. "Do your duty and fulfill your promise to her in the spring, and then look into her heart."_

 _Splinter looked down at the worn tatami beneath him. The little worn edge was there where the black cotton around the thick mat was stained and the ink had run, forming a little goblin face. He had shown his father and Yuta had told him it was a mark of luck. This was home—his own home and he was with his father. Did he even want to go back?_

 _Yuta slapped his head again and when Splinter looked up at him, there sat a white fox. The fox grinned at him wisely and barked three times. Splinter reached out to the fox, but it danced out of his grasp._

Splinter sat up, gasping. His head ached—particularly the back—and he could not imagine where he was for a moment. Then he saw the quilt glittering in the soft light of one lit candle and he remembered. Dropping back to the thin mat, he felt tears slide down his furry cheeks and spot the sheet beneath him.


	16. Chapter 15

The next few weeks passed uneventfully. The turtles had escaped Tiger Claw's initial attacks and joined forces close to Central Park, but that was not entirely surprising. They were most elusive prey—even Tiger Claw had to admit it. The weather was turning cool now and leaves were falling in great rust colored piles. Wherever May cared to look, she saw that the weather was turning fierce and soon it would be snowy.

She felt her burden grow heavier as her belly grew. Her child began kicking and now Shredder came to her several times a day to feel the kicks. It was harder for her to bend and pick up things and inevitably she grew slower and less steady. Shredder began locking her in her old suite when he could not supervise her personally and she relished the small luxuries of being able to go to the bathroom as she needed and being able to nap as she wanted. Not to mention her small collection of books.

One night as she was collecting her toothbrush and a few odds and ends from her suite, she found that someone had come in and set up the nursery with bamboo nursery furniture she had picked out and the huge rocker/recliner she had circled in the catalogue. Another night, she found two boxes of various sized baby clothes to sort through and put into the drawers. All of the furniture was bolted to the floor—even the book cases. Not surprisingly, the tiger was left alone, and watched over the nursery with the tigerlilies at his feet and the flowering cherry tree overhead. There seemed to be things to do now—diapers to stack and clothes to fold and sheets to sort—so the days went a little faster.

Her appointments became closer as well. At first, she saw Dr. Ken every four weeks and she deliberately chose long sleeved clothes to hide the ties still on her wrists. At Thanksgiving he had shortened it to every three weeks. He would check her blood pressure, tsk at her slow weight gain, measure her growing belly and offer to answer questions. Then he would give her a canned speech about eating right, sleeping well, and exercising.

May tried to obey the doctor's orders, but everything seemed to upset her stomach now. The day of Thanksgiving, she fixed a turkey breast along with vegetables, cranberry sauce, and—her favorite—stuffing. Shredder's assistant or whatever had arranged for a pumpkin pie to be delivered earlier that week, along with her chosen menu. She offered to thank whoever it was, but Shredder had only grunted that it was unnecessary. A traditional Thanksgiving made her feel better and, despite the snow outside, she was thankful for her little nest. While she had anticipated having leftovers to snack on, she surprised herself by eating quite a lot and then falling asleep as soon as she had cleaned up.

Saki was amused by the turn of events. Not only had he struck his enemy's heart—metaphorically, anyway—but Sakura seemed to gradually be accepting that she wasn't going to be going anywhere. She had settled into a routine which consisted of mainly obeying his every whim. She did insist on a "proper Thanksgiving dinner" and apparently was expecting to make yet another meal on Christmas, but even Dr. Ken had pointed out the wisdom of letting her have her way every so often. And roasted turkey breast with vegetables fit the nutrition requirements even if the pumpkin pie didn't. It pleased him to find some small ways to reward her, to hear her breath catch as she found some surprise.

Two weeks after that, she had found a tiny plastic tree on her kitchen counter, along with a cigar box. Amused, she opened it and found a thin string of lights, along with some tiny ornaments. It was equally amusing to find a handful of miniature paper cranes, which she set on the branches. Without a radio, she sang all of the Christmas carols she knew and felt heartened by the tiny tree sitting on the kitchen counter. Even without tinsel and wrapped gifts, it felt soothing and special to stand and look at the tiny lights and feel Maji move.

May looked out over the streets of the city as much as she was able. It was cold outside now, so close to the end of the year. She could occasionally see an obviously homeless person—sometimes a woman—on the streets, pushing an overloaded shopping cart and carrying an overloaded bag of some kind. Once she saw a homeless woman approach a man in a suit and then follow him into an alley, but only the man walked out. In those moments, as she watched from her perch in the atrium, she realized that she was very well protected indeed. She had fine clothes and occasionally new ones appeared in boxes or bags on her kitchen counter. She had fresh fruits of just about any variety, along with fresh vegetables and high quality meats to cook with. She could stretch out any time she wished and simply read or get up and add to her murals now that she was regularly stocked with fine, quality artist's pens.

Peculiarly, she was becoming more used to her captor as well. If he told her something, it was simply true. If he told her something would happen, it would. He seemed to be content in having time each day where she admired him and time each day where he was allowed to play with her body in admiration. He took care of most of the mundane details—arranging for doctor's visits, transportation, stocking their apartments with groceries and fresh sheets, having someone come in regularly to clean as he took her to his own suite or through the atrium for a walk. He did not allow anyone else to bother her and she was completely safe from being mugged or attacked since she was never on the street without him. She had to admit that, in some ways, she was pampered.

At their next visit, Sakura was putting back on her shoes when Dr. Ken knocked and escorted a wrinkled old lady in. Sakura flushed as the older woman looked sternly at her with her mouth pursed up like a prune. Sakura looked at Shredder with curiosity and bit her lip to keep from blurting out questions.

Dr. Ken broke the tense, silent moment. "This is Kuma. She is my best midwife and will be handling a lot of the birth." Dr. Ken gestured again. "Kuma, this charming lady is the patient—Sakura. Her nickname is 'May'."

Kuma's eyes narrowed and she frowned. "I see." She looked Sakura up and down again and addressed her directly, "And tell me about your birth plans..."

May flushed darkly and her gaze flitted down to her hands shyly. She didn't want to answer and arouse any anger or bitterness, but the midwife was staring at her so pointedly, waiting for her to answer.

Shredder growled low and Dr. Ken interjected, "Kuma, I can give you the outlines and plans." He paused and flipped through the chart. "Natural birth, if at all possible. Minimal interventions necessary." Dr. Ken looked at the young woman quickly and then back to the chart. "Home birth if possible and pre-admission to a private room at Grace Hospital if interventions are necessary."

May turned a little pale, listening to the plans that had been made entirely without her knowing. The Shredder put a heavy hand on her shoulder and squeezed lightly. Kuma looked at her steadily as she listened to Dr. Ken.

"And your choice for feeding the infant?" she asked Sakura directly again.

May kept looking at her hands and opened her mouth to speak, but Dr. Ken answered again. "Breast feeding." He laughed nervously. "I'm afraid that you'll have to forgive her, but she is very shy and reserved."

Kuma nodded uncertainly, her eyes narrowing. With a thin smile, she shook Sakura's hand. "I am looking forward to helping you." Sakura nodded and smiled a little. "I understand that the child is large?"

Sakura looked up at the Shredder who glanced down at her and nodded shortly.

"A big, strong boy," Dr. Ken answered. "But it's not anything we have to overly plan for." He patted Kuma's shoulder. "I've assured them that there's nothing wrong."

"Of course," Kuma nodded. "It was good to meet you, Sakura." She passed the younger woman a card. "You can reach me at this number and email me any questions that you have."

Shredder glared at the older woman and put his armored hand on Sakura's shoulder. They left quickly as Dr. Ken gave them his canned speech about calling if they had any questions. As soon as she was in the car, she looked up at Shredder and asked softly, "Is there anything wrong with Maji?"

"He is fine," Shredder grunted. "Kenshiro was concerned that he might eventually grow too large for you to deliver." He put a warm hand on her belly. "But at the last examination, he decided that it would be fine." Sakura nodded uncertainly. "He is concerned that you are not gaining enough weight, though."

She nodded. "I will do better," she whispered. Maji kicked her unexpectedly and she gasped. "No comments from the peanut gallery."

Shredder's hand squeezed her shoulder gently. "He will be a fine, strong son."

She had nothing to say to that and only nodded. Again Shredder cornered her in his room and began to play with her curves. "I cannot wait for him to be born." With a low growl, he grinned. "Then I can enjoy you as well." He patted her breast gently. "But I will not steal from my son."

The next few days passed quickly as she tried to get things ready for Maji. Snow fell continually, creating hills of white on her balcony and at every window. Sakura enjoyed cooking heartier meals like Irish stew and vegetable soup when she didn't have a meal dictated to her. She bundled up in her long-sleeved tops, occasionally with a quilt or her shawl coat wrapped around her. At New Year's, she was able to watch fireworks from her patio doors, ooing and ahhing mainly to be talking to Maji. She sang Christmas carols, a few Broadway songs, and whatever else she could remember and spent time in her recliner, telling Maji stories.

Shredder found her that way one day, telling wild fairy stories. He laughed at her and led her to his room to cook. May cooked a fresh chicken soup and sang softly as it bubbled. She was adding in some diced vegetables when she saw the hulking form standing in the doorway.

She stopped, her song suddenly silent. Flushing, she dropped the vegetables in and began to fix fresh salads. Truthfully, she was getting a little tired of salads. Most everything she had eaten for months had been fresh fruits, sliced vegetables and other disgustingly healthy foods.

She wished that Mikey was there with a pizza or Donnie with a burger. But everything was being done to make sure Maji was well taken care of. She frowned, reminding herself to keep Maji's health in mind and then sternly reminding herself that she had a thousand times more than many unwed mothers. She glanced over to see if he noticed her mental waffling.

He gestured, saying, "Keep singing."

She nodded and began again with a lullaby. The pot bubbled softly and she chopped the vegetables carefully. Leaning against the counter for a moment, she finished the song.

"Come with me," he ordered softly.

May nodded and turned down the pot. She went with him to the dojo and followed him warily. He began talking to Maji, naming weapons and ancestors in the Oroku line. May crept warily further and further from the weapons and closer and closer to him as he began taking down his favorite ones to show to his son.

He finally noticed as she bumped into him. "Little flower, what are you afraid of?" He tossed the bladed fan in his hand lightly. He tugged her hand and dropped the folded metal fan in it.

May jerked violently and if he hadn't been holding her wrist, she would have leapt back and dropped it. She shivered, looking at the darkly gleaming weapon and then him.

"You cannot hurt me," he laughed. With a quick move, he smacked it out of her hand and it went spinning on the floor. "You cannot win." She nodded blankly, staring at the weapon on the floor. "Even if you managed to wield it, I would still win."

She whimpered and jerked wildly. "Please... I will not touch it again."

He nodded and pushed her towards the kitchen with a smile. "Go to your cooking." He paused. "Maji and I are hungry."

He watched as she hurried away then went to pick up the metal fan. Really, the more that he considered it, the more he was convinced that Yoshi had done it wrong. Yoshi had given Shen far too much leeway, far too much freedom and too much consideration. Sakura and Maji were fine and in good health. He never had to wonder if she was stuck somewhere in bad weather or waiting on a bus somewhere or eating something that would make her sick. He did not have to worry whether or not she was with a crowd that would get her hurt or make her ill. He did remember many nights Yoshi spending time pacing and worrying with Master Yuta when Shen would miss her bus as she ran out at night.

When he finally got rid of the rat, then she would be absolutely safe. His son would be born healthy and would grow into the most powerful man in the world. His son would not be under any illusions of who is was and his place in the world. His son would not be lied to for years, living under an adopted name and family, and then be betrayed by all the people he thought had cared for him.

She was young and healthy. There could be more sons. The Foot clan could grow, expand. He was not a particularly young man, but he ate well and exercised regularly and so on. There would be plenty of time to enjoy his prize.

Christmas was generally a slower time for the turtles. With the piles of snow reflecting even the dimmest light, it was more difficult to find deep shadows to hide in. People were also less likely to be lingering outside, and even the criminals seemed to decrease their activity.

The turtles were also slower, part of the their metabolism slowing down in the yearly rhythm of warmth and cool. They trained with Splinter and would go out on short patrols, but they would invariably return cold, winded and unbearably sleepy. They would then each huddle around their collection of hot water bottles and improvised heaters until their blood thawed enough to be alert again. April and Kirby gave them each gifts: a set of electronics tools for Donnie, a bunch of pizza coupons for Mikey, some leather punching gloves for Raphael, and a collection of Space Heroes DVDs for Leonardo. April did give them a small coffee maker as well, along with a selection of coffees.

Splinter was pleased that the turtles returned the respect to the O'Neils. Donatello fixed their home security system. Raphael clunked around and reinforced their outer doors. Leonardo gave April a metal fan to fight with. Michelangelo cooked the Christmas dinner—without once resorting to warmed up pizza.

Kirby looked at Splinter as the turtles and April sat and played Trivial Pursuit in the other room and listened to Christmas carols on the radio. "Say, um...Master Splinter?" The rat turned towards the nervous man and smiled warmly. He bowed in respect and cocked his head to listen. "Whatever happened to...umm...I think her name was 'May'?"

Splinter felt a tiny tingle in the back of his head, like a forgotten ache. "She is...waiting for her child to be born."

"Ahh," Kirby said in what appeared to be relief. "Well, I wanted to...well... For all you've done for April and me, I wanted you and her to have some time down at the farm." He grimaced nervously and shrugged. "It's not much, but there's seven bedrooms and four bathrooms. There's an Aga and a wood stove in the living room and a wood pellet heater in the basement.

"Old Grandma O'Neil loved the place. It was set on six acres of land and she farmed about half an acre, but she let the rest stay wild because there never was a lady that liked her privacy like she did." He smiled weakly and winked. "She was actually a rum-runner in the 20's—a real wild child. There's a whole pile of stuff in the barn from her old stills and there's goodness knows what in the attics because she saved everything.

"We moved some of her furniture here when I got a job here in the city, but a lot of it was too big and bulky. She had a bunch of stuff—big heavy wood furniture and a whole ship load of books—from her parents and from her older uncle who liked to make wooden furniture."

Splinter nodded respectfully. He debated what to tell the other man. He wasn't sure in his heart that he truly wanted to try to rescue her—especially not if he discovered that she truly didn't want to leave. Kirby went over to a drawer and pulled out some paperwork—a blueprint of the farm, a few old pictures and some hand-written directions to the farm.

"Anyway, I was thinking that you and she could get out of town for a few days and let her and the baby have some peace and quiet." Kirby continued. "I never can get out there to do more than mow occasionally and make sure that the trash gets picked up, so it would be a favor to me to have someone living there for a few days."

Splinter bowed respectfully. "I am truly honored."

Kirby smiled and clumsily bowed back. "Well...I mean..." He glanced at April and Donnie sitting side by side in the other room. Donnie looked at her warmly and she would catch his gaze and then smile back before blushing and turning back to the group. Kirby flushed. "Well, I was hoping she would come around. I kind of, said things that maybe I shouldn't have." Splinter waited patiently, with some confusion, and Kirby flushed as he explained, "I told April that I didn't want her hanging out with an unwed mother."

Splinter's mouth twitched a little in amusement and Kirby nodded. "It was silly, I guess, since she's...involved with Donatello. I mean, it's not like you and she can elope in Vegas—" He caught the keen look of amusement in Splinter's gaze and gracefully blushed. "Well...let's just say I had it wrong and I'm sorry."

Splinter bowed again. "We are expecting her child to be due sometime in the spring..."

May slept like the dead on Christmas Eve. She had spent the day fixing a ham, green beans, some baked sweet potatoes, poached pears and a fruit and yoghurt parfait, then working through her exercises and trying to nap a little while Shredder completed his training for his ninjas. The master woke her up from a deep nap to watch him.

Peculiarly she still thought it beautiful—to watch the way that he moved in his katas. He had such a primal force in every move it took her breath away. Then he would leap amazingly high and land in some impossibly balanced way to strike back and it was like looking at one of those stones balanced on some tiny piece of land or one of those impossible sculptures that sat on a tiny pin. In that time, however long it lasted each day, she was thrilled to watch him and purposefully forgot that he was against her.

And he gloried in it. He loved showing off the most difficult of moves for her. The leaps and kicks would make her breath hitch and her eyes would glow as he blocked and struck in rhythm. He supposed it was ironic that having her watch made him more aware and sharper in his own training and exercises. So for a period of time each day, he purposefully forgot that she was there as bait for the rat and to bear his children and considered her simply a captivated spectator.

Shen had been an eager spectator when he and Yoshi had practiced. She had wriggled—she was a Monkey and thus a wiggler—and her eyes had shown with joy as they completed their forms. She had begun to bring them all water—Master Yuta, Yoshi and himself—and fresh towels to wipe their sweaty bodies. As they had done their tests, showing Master Yuta that they had learned the next hardest moves and proved it, she had seemed to cheer them both on. Her eyes had glowed in pride and she had hugged them both as Master Yuta had only nodded in approval. It felt better to get his next stripe when she was there to congratulate them.

Christmas Eve dinner was delicious. She had served him ginger ale mixed with a bit of orange juice and then a feast of sweet and savory dishes. He was happy to shower while she set out the side dishes on his counter and then pulled out the ham. He still was wary about letting her have access to the knife block—he locked his dojo while she was in his suite—but she had not even thought about the knives more than to set out a sharp knife for him to carve the meat.

After dinner he bathed her and dressed her in a loose nightgown before tucking her into his bed. He pulled out a silken scarf and bound her wrist ties in a loop through the eyebolt in his bed. She now had a foot of extra leeway, allowing her to turn and stretch some. She yawned wearily and did not protest.

May slept late, barely cracking her eyes as the man left the bed and closed the patio drapes and window blinds against the early daylight. Enshrouded in shadows again, she rolled over and slept again.

 _Her dreams were pleasant. She was in the flowering field, following the beautiful woman she remembered seeing before. The dojo was nearby and they followed a stone path to a lovely koi pond. The ghostly woman seemed to be very peaceful and it was a joy to see the bonsai in the warm sunlight. The woman smiled at her and pointed to the fish._

 _"Do you see them swimming there?" she asked. "They are so peaceful, are they not?"_

 _May nodded, looking at the black and white fish swimming in circles in the pond._

 _"It is balance, is it not? That every left has a right. Every up has a down." She paused, looking at May. "And you are a half of a pair as well."_

 _May glanced up at her with a guilty look. "Please tell me you don't mean the Shredder?!"_

 _The ghostly woman laughed. "If only it were that simple! No my dear, I mean that you must find your other half." She looked at the dojo sadly. "Now listen to me._

 _"You have seen a tiny part of what Saki could have been. He was not always the Shredder. He could have been a protective, generous and supportive. He could have been a husband that many would have been proud of." She swallowed. "If he had not become bitter and jealous and allowed hatred to consume him, he would have been a very good man indeed."_

 _May scoffed angrily. "I don't think you know him..."_

 _The other woman looked at her calmly. "You have seen it already and a part of you responds to it." May was about to protest but she went on. "It is no shame for you to respond to a man who wants to protect you and your child. It is no shame to see that there is good in him." May sighed heavily, feeling her throat ache and the other woman went on. "There is the possibility that a strong woman could be the making of Saki—help him see the good that is in him still._

 _"But if your heart belongs to another, that is no shame either." She looked at May with a curious, wise look. "And it does, doesn't it?"_

 _May looked at the swimming fish. "It belongs to another who will never love me." Bitter tears filled her eyes. "I have lost him."_

 _"Have you lost him?" The other woman looked at her again. "I suppose it might feel like that right now." She laughed softly. "And Saki is here while he isn't."_

 _May nodded sadly as the ghost spoke again. "But you need to choose who will hold your heart and who will not." The ghost looked sad. "Do not make my mistake of trying to hold them both."_

 _"What do you mean?" May asked curiously, but the ghost only vanished._

May cracked her eyes again and found herself in the bed with the scarves wrapped around her wrists. She sighed heavily and stretched a leg. Maji kicked her soundly, her blouse fluttering at the brief bump in her stomach. May murmured to him softly, wriggling a little to settle him again.

Suddenly he turned within her and she felt him push down and up at the same time. She moaned and then gasped as suddenly it felt like she couldn't breathe.

Saki was awake instantly with a blade in his hand, looking for threats. May gasped again, thrashing against the closely tucked blankets until she could turn over. Instantly his hand was on her belly. Her eyes watered and she gasped again.

He untied the scarf and helped her sit up. May felt the pressure on her lungs slide and took a deep breath. He looked at her strangely. "He's trying to stand—"

"Already?" Shredder chuckled deeply. "He's a prodigy. Perhaps he was only stretching?"

She took another deep breath. "Perhaps Dr. Ken was mistaken and he is too large."

"He is fine," Saki said, laying back down lazily. He pulled her down again and tucked her in again. "Just very eager and very strong."

They slept again and awoke even later. She took her time to fix a full breakfast and began singing softly. Saki dressed casually, taking his time with breakfast. His katas were like some exotic dance and she watched him carefully, wondering if somehow she was softening up. The question rattled in her brain as she followed him into the atrium. A fresh blanket of snow coated the city in blinding white. She felt giddy as she walked in front of the clock face. It was like the whole city was candy coated. She didn't hear anyone come up behind her, but suddenly she felt the brush of fingertips against her back. She sighed and moved forward a little.

"Don't run little flower," Shredder whispered softly. He gripped her shirt and pulled her backward to him.

May glanced over her shoulder and was startled to a huge tiger-headed mutant behind him. She yelped and leapt against Shredder. Curiously, the tiger said nothing, just watched her quietly and coldly with a gleam in his one golden eye. She paused, looking up into his eye and she felt Shredder's hand on her hip. Taking a deep breath, she said softly, "I-I-I'm sorry. I was not expecting anyone else..."

The tiger nodded solemnly and looked at Shredder. "She's nice," he purred.

"I need to travel to Japan," Shredder grunted. "She is so far along she cannot come with me, so I will leave her in your protection Tiger Claw."

The tiger looked at her and seemed to take a deep breath. "I don't like it." He took in another breath and his golden eye glittered. "She is too far along."

She looked up at Shredder curiously. "Do you think...it's safe?"

Tiger Claw looked down at her with a deep rumble in his chest. Instinctively, she backed away towards the ninja master.

"You'll stay in your suite until I return," Shredder decreed. May looked up at him and then nodded. "Gather your things."

The first week May was in her suite happily. She was given a delivery of groceries and a pair of pots to cook with. Her meals were her own and she found that she had a huge appetite without having to endure being pawed or the unbearable tension. She did her exercises religiously, feeling alive and vibrant. She half expected to see footprints in the snow outside her patio, but they never appeared. At the end of the week, though, her cupboard was getting really bare. She was exercising in the nursery when she heard the door locks open and went to see who it was. Tiger Claw walked in with a black clad ninja who was carrying two paper bags of groceries. May frowned and went back into the nursery, remembering her warnings to not speak to anyone. She collapsed in her chair and closed her eyes, waiting for the door to close again. The door closed and she sighed in relief. Then she heard a low growl from the nursery doorway and her eyes snapped open.

In the doorway, she saw Tiger Claw glowering down at her. He took deep breaths in and released low growls that seemed to almost be pants. With a bit of a swagger, he walked closer. He took a deep, appreciative sniff, "You do smell delicious."

May slid off the chair carefully and backed away. "Please...," she whimpered.

Tiger Claw grinned. "Please what? Please do something?"

May whimpered. "You can't think that you would get away with anything?"

Tiger Claw grinned. "He's in Japan—what do you think is going to happen?" He grinned slowly. "If he believes that anything does happen, that is." He beckoned at her. "Come over and...be friendly." He arched an eyebrow. "A real Yamato Nadeshiko does as she's told, doesn't she?"

May backed away further and put her hands over her belly. "Please... Please don't hurt my baby..."

"If you behave, your cub won't be hurt," Tiger Claw purred. He took another deep breath and then chuckled. "But you're right, _he_ might be offended if someone else took his place." He snapped his jaws. "Before he is dead, that is."

May's eyes snapped open wide. "What do you mean?"

"A couple of Yakuza gangs are thinking about double-crossing him. Why do you think he had to go to Japan? He needed to teach them a lesson," Tiger Claw purred. "If you are smart, you'll pray that he lives through it." He leaned casually against the wall and examined his claws. "Of course, if he doesn't, then I'd expect you and I to be very friendly." He smiled at her again. "Seems like a shame to waste a well-trained breeding girl."

Without another word, the immense mutant pushed himself off the wall and walked out. May curled up and began praying. As whispered words tumbled from her lips, she realized that she was paradoxically praying for the one who held her captive.

That night she dreamed of the ghost lady again. _They walked together towards the dojo. May felt cold as she walked on the sunlit stone path. The ghost lady seemed very satisfied with herself as she walked. "Have you found the one to hold in your heart?"_

 _May shook her head. "I don't know what to do. I have safety and security and food and shelter." She sniffed. "I guess I shouldn't complain since there are so many who don't have that."_

 _"That is true and unfortunate," the ghost said. "But is it enough?"_

 _May bowed her head. "It should be."_

 _The other woman looked at her sharply. "Not whether it should be. Is it enough?"_

 _May looked at her curiously, wondering if she could trust the ghost figure. Then she shrugged. "If I had my ideal, no, it would not be enough." She stared forward at the wooden building coming closer. "I wanted to be married. I wanted to go to school. I wanted..."_

 _"You wanted Splinter." May nodded and the other woman chuckled. "I should say, 'You want Splinter'."_

 _May flushed and the other woman chuckled again. "Then that is who you hold in your heart. I am glad. He deserves another love in his life."_

 _May looked at her in amazement. "But...I don't understand."_

 _"In time, in time, you will." The other woman laughed again and then sobered quickly. "Of course, it will not be easy. Splinter and Shredder both want you." She sighed. "And your child is caught between them too."_

 _"Why are you pulling me in two like this?" May demanded._

 _"Am I?" The other woman's eyes narrowed shrewdly. "Or are you simply having a problem remembering what you want and who you are?" May growled, loving the feeling of being really mad for a moment. "My dear, you are in a terrible situation and you need strength and patience. You need to remember who you are—" She frowned at May. "—or you will become whatever Saki wants you to be."_

May awoke suddenly, sweating profusely. The other woman's wise eyes seemed to look into her soul. She wished that she had the other woman here with her because she was sure that if she was not already in danger from the Shredder, she would be from Tiger Claw.

Across the world, Saki walked the grounds of the Foot compound. His gaze flicked over the familiar landscape and for a moment he thought he met the gaze of beady eyes in a shadow. Dropping into his defensive stance, he snarled softly and prepared to attack. The dark eyes glittered from a dark corner.

"S-s-saki," a light voice hissed.

Shredder's eyes widened for a moment. It was not possible for the rat to have followed him here. There was no way that he could have managed to get a flight here, let alone have infiltrated the headquarters. But the glistening eyes were there, watching him with a gleeful amusement.

The scent of cut grass and bamboo came to him and the eyes were trained on his every move. Saki dropped his weight a bit lower, ready for an attack. "What do you want, rat?"

A trill of tenor laughter came out from the corner. Then the eyes blinked slowly and languidly. "What do you think you're doing Saki?"

Saki grunted and in a lightning quick movement, rushed the corner. Sparks rained down from his blades crashing against the tall stone walls. There was nothing there. He leapt back, looking around wildly.

The entire courtyard was empty except for the barking of a fox.

After a second week, May was increasingly nervous that she would run against Tiger Claw. She had dismissed an alert for an appointment when no one appeared to take her. Her stomach was huge and she felt very vulnerable. There was no one huge and muscular enough to fight the tiger mutant if he wanted to attack her. Even worse, she had been given a few new books, one of which was a book on tigers with a page folded down. She had been curious and read the page with a look of horror on her face. The page explained—in excruciating detail—how a male tiger would destroy a cub to get to a breeding female.

She was in the nursery, putting away the few books on fairy tales and legends back in the bookcases when she heard the door locks hiss. Lurching towards the nursery door, she slammed it and fumbled with the lock, hoping that the locks had not been disabled. Whimpering, she backed away from the door as she heard heavy footsteps.

Shredder heard the door slam and the knob rattle as the wimpy lock caught. Not amused, he stalked over to the nursery door, he lifted his leg into a heavy kick. The door flew open and he saw Sakura huddling in a corner. "What is the meaning of this?!" he demanded.

She leaned against the bookcase as her trembling knees gave out. "Thank God," she muttered. Tears filled her eyes as she looked up at him. Finally she could push herself up and go over to him. "No one said that you were expected back today." She felt like a real smile was finally coming up to her lips and was so relieved that she might have kissed him if he wasn't in his armor. "I'm so glad that you are back unharmed."

He looked at her cooly, inwardly amazed at how her eyes seemed to shine for a moment. "Unharmed?"

She nodded a little, blushing furiously. "The...tiger said that you were going to Japan to...to fight."

He snorted shortly. "I see." He gestured and led her to his suite. "I am hungry and tired."

Sakura nodded gratefully, glad that his anger was at least a little diffused. He led her to his suite and gestured for her to begin cooking. Two grocery bags were on his counter, along with a second can of the cream he liked to use on her skin. There was a good selection of fresh vegetables—surprising considering how much snow had fallen. Sakura picked out zucchini, tomatoes, mushrooms, carrots, and asparagus. There was a can of dark black olives and a fresh package of spaghetti. She hurriedly chopped the vegetables and diced the tomatoes, along with some minced garlic and some basil.

The whole kitchen smelled of tomatoes and garlic and spices and May felt herself relax finally. Her knees were still wobbling and every so often she would hear him behind her. At last she accepted that she was alone with him, and she began a wobbling song.

He sighed happily as he sat in the kitchen, enjoying the stuttering song and the warm smells of home cooking. She was tending her pots, sniffing and stirring them from time to time. Her belly was rounded hugely and every so often she patted her stomach, muttering encouragements and soft nothings to Maji. They ate silently and he pulled her to the dojo.

She followed him hesitantly. Thankfully, he did not pull her far and he seemed determined to reestablish their pattern. She stopped at her normal corner and started to kneel so that she could watch him, but she felt him push on her wrist and began walking her around the perimeter.

"Do you remember what this weapon was called?" he asked, pointing to a short knife.

"A tanto?" Sakura asked hesitantly.

He nodded as he took it from its place on the wall and maneuvered to wrap an arm around her so that he could caress her stomach and talk to Maji. "Your grandfather, Oroku Maji, was known to be able to throw this over a hundred feet with accuracy."

Sakura looked at the thick, heavy weapon. Ever so slowly and her attention riveted to the man's reaction, she touched the handle with a single finger. "I'm impressed," she admitted. She looked up at him, and asked softly, "Could you teach me to do that?"

Saki hissed and laughed at her. "You?" He twirled the tanto in his palm. "It takes great strength and many years of practice to learn to wield a weapon like this."

She frowned at the weapon. "Is there maybe something I could learn?"

"So you want to challenge me?" He laughed again and put the tanto back on its hooks on the wall. She shook her head gratifyingly quickly. He frowned as he felt her shiver. "Why? Are you afraid?"

She nodded. "Yes!" She took a deep breath. "I'm afraid when you are not here."

He looked at her sternly, wondering if there was more to her fear, but too weary to try to unravel the mystery. "Let's go to bed."

She nodded again and waited on him in the bath, offered him a towel and then waited as he tied her to the bed. Whimpering, she felt him lay down behind her and drift off to sleep. Taking deep breaths, she willed herself to relax, but it was still a long time before she could sleep.

Again, the pattern was established that she would be locked in her suite when he couldn't be with her. She would cook meals as he allowed, admire his forms and katas and performance in the private dojo, and then be tied to the bed so that she could sleep. The missed appointment was easily rescheduled and Dr. Ken was impressed that she had gained a healthy amount of weight. The doctor gave her a magnet with his contact information and Kuma's contact information written on it so that she could call him and she wondered what on Earth she was supposed to do with it.

She was relieved as the snows began to thin and melt away. Her belly was huge and she had a back-ache from the extra weight. Shredder ordered her several nursing bras and seemed pleased to have her try them on and work the clasps that released the cups. She was given a soft duffle bag to pack with a change of clothes or two, some nursing bras, and some baby clothes in case she actually needed to go to the hospital. She read her pregnancy book religiously, figuring out what to pack, what to do and how to take care of her heavier belly. It was not hard work, but it was tiring as she felt herself growing larger and more ungainly. Sakura was more than grateful to not have to face Tiger Claw. As scary as the Shredder was, Tiger Claw's cold, relentless stare scared her far more. And who knew what Shredder's reaction would be to the mutant's not-so-veiled threat?

March storms poured rain down on the building, turning everything a dreary gray. Sakura was restless as she could not easily settle the extra weight comfortably. Saki could barely keep his hands off of her as the child kicked and her breasts grew heavy and taut. It pleased him that whatever happened while he was gone seemed to have pushed her even more to his side. The tiger mutant had said nothing, only that he told her about the trip and its purpose. Since Sakura did not want to talk about it either, it seemed to be best to take advantage of her fear and tie her closer to him. The only thing was that she had asked to learn about the tanto. She had not ever before expressed an interest in martial arts, let alone in weapons. She had been otherwise content to live almost as a wife to be put into a box and take out of her box as he pleased.

In mid-April, May was joyful to see the little park blooming with puffy white cherry blossoms. That night she fixed an excellent meal of curry and rice and the thought of blooming oniyuri was pleasantly uppermost in her mind.

"And why are you so happy?" he purred behind her as she simmered the curry sauce.

She added in some coconut milk. "Am I?" she asked.

"You have not stopped singing for two nights," he whispered. His unarmored hands couldn't resist uncovering her breasts and cupping them. He let one roughly calloused finger rub over a nipple. A tiny bead of thin, cloudy liquid appeared at the sensitive tip. His finger gently curled and touched the drop, which clung to the tip of his finger. "What _are_ you so pleased about?"

She looked at the tiny drop on his finger. For a moment, she couldn't think as she stared at the little drop. "Maji...," she whispered.

He gently pressed her breast, and another reluctant drop eased out. "Maji will be well fed," he whispered. "You already have milk."

She could only nod. "I want him...," she whispered.

"I want him as well," Shredder said. "And he will be here soon." He pressed on the other nipple, and was disappointed that nothing came out. "He will be here soon enough."

She managed to go through another two weeks. Her breasts ached and now leaked. Her back ached and Maji's insistent kicking felt like it would split her in two. The cooking was relaxing to her and felt like one of the few things she could still do. He still had her watch him, and Sakura was even more amazed at his easy grace now that she could no longer make a quick movement, let alone a graceful one. After he would practice, she would compliment him effusively which seemed to soothe him out of whatever anger or sour mood he was in.

"I don't see how you do that amazing leap," she whispered one night.

He grunted as she handed him a towel and a glass of water. "It takes many years of practice."

Sakura shrugged wearily. "I still find it amazing." She pushed herself up to her feet. "I couldn't get more than an inch off the ground now."

He smiled at her and stroked her belly. "I do it so you will not need to." He handed her back the sweaty towel as he looked seriously into her eyes. "You and Maji will be safe." She nodded and smiled timidly at him. "As long as you obey me, then you and my sons will not want for anything."

"Sons?" she asked quietly. "How many are you planning on having?"

He smirked down at her. "We will see." He shrugged into a black shirt. "I was...an only child—the last Oroku. I want a large family."

She flushed darkly and let him lead her to the bedroom. He rolled his shoulders with a grimace and sat her on the bed. It felt strange to have him sit with his back to her, even fully clothed. She swallowed heavily, looking at the back of his head and the immense scarring that went down the right side and down his neck. "Touch me, Sakura."

Timidly, Sakura let him take her hand and put it on his shoulder. Taking in a deep breath, she closed her eyes and imagined it was Raphael. Raphael was always mad and always tense—she remembered that. Putting her hands on his shoulders, she began gently rubbing. He chuffed out a breath and pressed against her fingers.

She sighed and increased her pressure. Raphael did that—leaned against her. Leonardo would sigh out a breath to tell her to press harder in a whisper. Mikey would loll his head back comically. Donatello never let her massage his shoulders. Pressing harder, she found herself leaning into him.

He shrugged out of the shirt and sighed as she began to rub his skin directly. He gradually let her push him forward and laid down in front of her. Lazily, he reached out to squeeze her thigh. "I do want a large family, Sakura," he said. "And I hope that..."

"Hope what?" Sakura asked softly. He glared at her briefly and squeezed her thigh again. Sakura's fingers froze for a moment and he grimaced and she went back to rubbing the aches from his muscles.

Saki cursed in his head. If only he had kept his mouth shut. Truthfully, he hoped that she would be strong enough to bear Maji and others. He was content to have her in his suite and cooking her meals and taking care of his children. As she relaxed his muscles, he wondered what his life would have been like if he had met her sooner. Would Shen and Yoshi have bothered him so? Would Yuta have disapproved of her or would he have simply brought her into the clan like he had Shen? Truthfully, the more he compared Shen and Sakura, the more that he realized that the dead woman's fiercely independent personality would have eventually annoyed and angered him. Shen would have taken a knife and tried stabbing him with it as soon as she could have managed it. Shen never would have taken to being put into a suite, no matter how luxurious, and then being taken out as he had time. Shen would have probably hit Tiger Claw over the head with something at her first meeting. On the other hand, Sakura simply obeyed him.

He grimaced again. All of this was going to change soon when she finally delivered the baby. He was not sure whether or not the turtles would come for her. He was not sure whether or not the rat cared any more. If he had been watching, he would have abandoned her after killing the man touching her. He had been sure to set up the most damning scene he could imagine for precisely that purpose.

He sighed heavily, feeling her fingers massage his neck. At the first touch, she had grazed the scars so lightly that it tickled but within seconds she was massaging it carefully. It was a shame that it would all change so soon. He had grown used to coming in and having a home cooked meal and being warmed by another person at night. He was positively spoiled for attention—having her admire him as he practiced and being able to hold her as he wished. At last, he felt like he understood—to a degree—the Yoshi's obsession for Shen's pregnant form. It was intoxicating in some indefinable way to cup her belly in his palm and feel the wriggling of new life. He had not ever seen anything as amazing as the tiny drop of milk on his finger. He had forced himself to resist suckling on her that very moment.

And it would all end soon. If they were coming at all, the turtles were already planning their move. The rat would know that it would be highly risky to move her now and they would be waiting for the babe to come. He sighed bitterly at the thought—as much as he wanted to finish the rat and his freaks, he did not want to disturb the delicate, unreal web between him and Sakura. It felt too much like...peace.


	17. Chapter 16

Starting the first week of March, Splinter had spent time every week at the grate where he had shown May had seen the community garden. At the end of March, he had begun looking for the cherry trees to bloom. They had blossomed in their puffy glory, small petals drifting down to the grate inches from his nose. He wondered if she could see them from her apartment.

The turtles had been excited to tear off the pages to the calendar, counting down the weeks and days to "Safe Day". Donatello had been keeping up with opening and printing the emails, vicariously watching the child grow. Michelangelo had been a pro at finding toys, although he tended to play with them quite a bit before setting them aside to be cleaned. Raphael and Leonardo had kept watch on the apartments, seeing if lights were turned off and on. They all talked about what would happen when she returned and how much they wanted her back.

He was still undecided. It was actually, in a darkly sinister way, logical and reasonable for her to want to remain with Saki. He could provide her with food and water and excellent care. She could potentially travel, if that's what appealed to her. She would be well protected, if a little stifled, and no one would dare come close to her. As Hamato Yoshi, he had admired that his brother was so protective of Shen even if he did regard it as somewhat over-the-top.

Master Yuta had been overjoyed that Shen was expecting, taking her inside the dojo and often spending an entire afternoon speaking with her about her pregnancy. She was pleased to speak with the old master, to answer his questions and ask her own. In their spare time, they would tend to his garden, play go or othello, or watch television or other small things. Both he and Saki had been happy that she found something rewarding to do in her later months, particularly when it gave Master Yuta such pleasure.

One rainy evening, as they practiced with their boken, Saki had parried and said, "So you have finally taken Shen in hand?"

He had laughed, "Whatever do you mean? She is absolutely free to do what she wants." He had known that saying that would get Saki upset, but he relished the challenge of fighting his brother's anger.

Saki grunted and whipped around to strike from the right. "She needs to be in the compound, Yoshi. It's too dangerous for her to be wandering around without an escort."

Yoshi dodged and struck. "Hardly," he snorted. "It's not like ninja will come flying out of the sky to attack her."

Saki puffed out an irritated laugh as he parried. "She is carrying the next generation of the Hamato clan." He grunted as he parried again. "She needs to be protected."

Yoshi leapt backward with a laugh. "She has promised me that she takes her pepper spray with her."

Saki thrust forward. "That is not the same as a trained escort." He slid back into a ready stance. "If I were not teaching classes, I would take her wherever she wants to go, but I do not have time."

Yoshi leapt and struck, his wooden sword clacking loudly against Saki's. "I have classes as well." He spun and moved into a better position. "Besides, she's hardly going anywhere dangerous."

Saki paused, lowering his weapon. "Do you know where she goes?" Yoshi paused curiously. "She takes the bus to get—"

Yoshi chuckled. "She goes out to get her favorite food—her sweet potato fries." He laughed again. "It's been a huge craving for her." He raised his weapon. "Dodge this, brother."

Saki parried, expecting the attack and drove a hard attack forward. "Those are terrible for her health. And Shen does not need to be leaving the safety of the dojo when we can have all the doctors come here—!"

Master Yuta interrupted them with a slight cough as a dripping Shen stood beside him with a bag of her fries in her hand. Yoshi dodged and fluidly lowered his weapon to bow. Saki paused for a moment, waiting for the counter attack that did not come. Only after a few seconds did he do the same. Old Hamato Yuta glared at them both. "You are still arguing? Why can you not act like brothers?"

Yoshi bowed with a grin on his face. "Saki—"

Yuta grunted sharply. "I have heard you both arguing plenty for tonight." He looked at his eldest son. "Yoshi, Saki is your brother. He is concerned for your wife and your child's welfare. That is worthy of respect." He turned slightly to the young man he considered his youngest son. "Saki—this is a matter for Yoshi and Shen to work on. It does not concern you."

"But—!" Saki growled, instinctively raising his weapon, then crumpled. Hamato Yuta struck a pressure point that temporarily deadened the feeling in his right arm, causing the wooden sword to fall with a clatter.

The old man looked at him sourly. "Saki! This is not your affair." Saki gritted his teeth and nodded shortly. "Now, as brothers, I expect both of you to work together. This ceaseless arguing is pointless and only causes more tension." His expression grew even more stern. "I expect it to end. Now."

Looking back, Splinter supposed that if Saki had managed to have a woman around the same time, his obsession with Shen would have lessened. Of course, the woman would have had to have been a saint to put up with some of his rages. But maybe she could have helped him, lessened the blow, when he discovered his parentage and when Shen had chosen to leave with him.

Perhaps May was easing his brother's old heartache now. Perhaps that was why she had been in his arms—in his bed. Perhaps he needed to let them be, and see if Saki's rage would at last be appeased... But he loved May as well! Splinter closed his eyes wearily, tired of the split in his heart.

 _He smelled bamboo first and looked around. He was again in his dojo, looking at the funny tatami mat. He smelled warm tea and looked up carefully._

 _Master Yuta was sitting in front of him, sipping slowly from a cup of warm tea. The bald old man, in his blinding white ghi, looked up at him. "You are troubled, my son?"_

 _Splinter bowed slowly and very low. "I am...confused."_

 _"About the girl?" Yuta asked taking a sip. "Her heart is hurting and frightened, but it is yours if you wish it."_

 _"I do not know if it is mine to wish for," Splinter replied softly. "I do not know if I have any right to wish for it."_

 _"You seemed to be very sure some months ago," the old man cackled._

 _"It was...rash," Splinter sighed. "Perhaps I spoke too soon. Perhaps I could not bear the thought of losing her to Saki."_

 _"Like you were afraid of losing Shen?"_

 _Splinter shook his head. "I knew that she was mine and I was hers. We argued, but we did love each other and we were not afraid to admit it."_

 _"But at first you were afraid of losing her to Saki," the old man added, taking another sip. "You pursued her relentlessly, as I recall. Sending her flowers and candies and bringing her to practice quite more often than she might have otherwise been." Splinter had nothing to say to that. "It was just as well that she chose you—you might have been fighting someone else over her rather than just Saki."_

 _"Why are you telling me this?"_

 _"I don't know. Why are you listening?" He cackled again softly and then grew serious. "You cherished the girl when she was injured and hurting like you used to cherish injured birds and animals as a child. You nurtured her and helped her fledgeling wings._

 _"Now you wonder if the falcon you released will come back to you. You wonder if the sky holds more appeal, if she wants to fly to the stars. You wonder if she has forgotten your care or if the jesses that hold her now will be her choice forever."_

 _"With respect Father, she is far more than a falcon."_

 _"Indeed. But like the falcon, she must be released and allowed to fly before she can return to your hand."_

 _"Are you telling me that I should abandon her?"_

 _"Did I say that?" the older man snapped. "I said to release her. Then if your falcon chooses the sky and stars, so be it. If she chooses to come to your hand, then so be it—you will be responsible for her life and well-being."_

 _"What of the child?"_

 _"You will find a way to protect your falcon and her child."_

Splinter's eyes snapped open in wonder and the first thing he saw was a cherry blossom drift from the grate to the tunnel floor. He picked it up carefully in his hands and studied it.

"Is everything all right, Master?" Leonardo asked softly from the shadows further down the tunnel.

Splinter cradled the blossom in his hand and studied it. "Yes, my son. I am fine."

"You looked like you were...going to sleep for a moment." Leo whispered.

"I am only tired," Splinter said, turning away from the grate. "We will go back to the lair now."

"Have the tigerlilies bloomed?"

"Not yet, my son."

"Are you really going to let us go get her?" Leonardo looked eagerly at him.

"Are you so eager to fight our enemy?"

Leonardo flexed his fists. "I'm ready for this to be done." He sighed. "I'm ready to start meeting him head on again, rather than backing down." He looked at Splinter curiously. "She's going to deliver soon, isn't she? I mean, she's not going to be doing this forever, is she?"

"I would guess so, Leonardo."

Leonardo nodded as they walked down the tunnel. "Donatello figured at first that we could just keep an eye out for an ambulance, but then we realized that Shredder wouldn't want that kind of attention." He shuddered. "I just hope he isn't planning on having her deliver in his lab."

"I doubt it," Splinter said. "He is more likely to have a private delivery in one of the buildings he controls."

"How would you know that?" Leonardo asked curiously.

"Because he advocated it when Tang Shen was pregnant," the rat said ruefully.

"Really?" Leonardo asked.

Splinter felt a brief laugh. "She was not happy with that alternative and we had Miwa in a hospital."

"How are we supposed to figure that out?" Leo asked bitterly. "There must be a million doctors in the city."

Splinter sighed. "We will simply have to wait. Donatello put in a generous amount of time after the estimated birth to account for delays and to allow her to heal." He looked at Leonardo's confused face and remembered his own father telling him Shen would need time to heal. Until he had held Miwa and looked at the slender form that had born her, he had not understood fully himself. "You will understand sometime."

May went through another examination with Dr. Ken and mostly ignored it. Right now, she was past the point of blood tests and sonograms, and it was a waiting game to see what happened. The Shredder had told her that the doctor was sure there would be no problem in a natural birth, but the more that Maji danced on her insides, the less she was sure. At last, she couldn't take it any more and spoke to him one night. She had fixed a lovely meal and complimented his katas and in general tried every way to think of to make sure he was not angry or tense. At last, as he gently looped the silk scarves around her wrists so they could sleep, she asked, "Is everything going to be all right with the birth?"

He paused and ran a hand down her belly. "I do know of any reason it shouldn't be, or else I would have told you."

"I'm...I'm scared," she said, her face flaming red.

"I will be there, Sakura," he said patiently, finishing the knot on her wrist. "There is nothing to be afraid of."

"I'm afraid of the pain," she whimpered, feeling a dam break inside her. Even if he was her enemy, she needed to tell someone what she was feeling. Then she sucked in a terrified breath, realizing what she had just thought. _"If he was her enemy"..._

"You will do fine," he whispered, curling around her protectively. "You will have Dr. Ken and Kuma—" He said the midwife's name with a curl of disgust. "—and me there to help you." He paused. "What do your books say?"

"They say to relax," she muttered sourly. "That if I relax, it will happen very naturally."

"Then we will relax," he said simply with an eloquent shrug. He slid a soft, chaste kiss to her neck. "Now sleep. You will not be able to relax if you do not get enough sleep."

She nodded and stared out the window at the stars, wondering if "relaxed" was even possible.

Saki was dreaming again almost immediately. _He stood in his old dojo. Everything seemed sunny and peaceful as he walked the hallways. It must be a Monday because no one was around and Master Yuta reserved Mondays for his sons to train. He smiled to himself—but if it was Monday, then chances were good that Shen was there to watch._

 _He strolled through the building to the practice room. No one was there. Smirking, he began peeking into every room to see what was happening. Every room was empty save for one poorly dressed girl who was scrubbing the floors of the kitchen._

 _Finally, he went to Master Yuta's room and knocked. Surprisingly, May was there to greet him and push the door open. Silently, she went to sit beside a bamboo game board and watch Yuta put a white chip down on it. He stepped gingerly inside and saw Shen sitting down at the board to put down a red chip._

 _Yuta grunted, "Come in or go out."_

 _Saki slid the door shut behind him and bowed to Yuta. "I was looking for you."_

 _Yuta picked up a chip and considered it thoughtfully. "And you have found me." His eyes glittered up at Saki. "So what are you looking for?"_

 _Saki sat down between May and Shen, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "I believe that I found it."_

 _The older man grunted and put down his chip. "You may think so."_

 _Saki watched as Shen put down her wine red chip next to some black chips on the board. Her chip sizzled for a moment and turned from a pleasant wine color with the Hamato clan symbol on it to a black one with the Foot clan's symbol. He frowned, looking at the chip smoke and sizzle._

 _"What are you playing, Shen?" he asked. She only smiled at him and then concentrated on the board. "I don't think that I understand this game."_

 _Yuta put down a white chip and a black chip changed color to white. "We are trying to win, of course."_

 _Saki studied the board. "And who is winning now?"_

 _"You are, my son," Yuta sighed sadly._

 _Saki was surprised and glared at the older man. "I do not understand."_

 _Yuta grunted again and Shen put down a red chip beside a number of the black chips. It sizzled like the first and she gasped as it turned black. Saki looked up to see a heavy cut on her cheek. He reached up to touch it and she turned away angrily. Yuta put down a white chip and it turned black as well. He did not make a sound, but there was a nasty popping sound from his hand. Saki looked at him in confusion._

 _Disturbed, he pulled on May's shoulder, expecting her to stand up immediately like she always did. Instead, she fell over backward in a boneless heap. Saki looked at her closely and felt his stomach clench because she was a perfectly proportioned puppet. Her wooden eyes were painted open in a souless stare, her hands were carved and sanded. Her hair was carved into a wooden braid. Her stomach was enormous and the soft top she wore with the Hamato crest on the lapel fluttered aside and showed him it was a balloon. But chiseled into the puppet were four deep gashes from her carved hair to her chin that were then painted with a hideous red._

 _Yuta looked over at him, rubbing the hand that was already looking bruised and swollen. "She was a good girl." He shook his head sadly. "Pity."_

 _Saki kicked the puppet aside angrily and saw several of the white and red pieces sizzle on the board to a shiny black. "What is the meaning of this?!"_

 _Shen looked at the broken puppet. Saki's kick had ripped a hole in one side and sawdust the color of blood poured out. "You have what you were looking for, do you not?"_

 _"No!" he insisted. "I never wanted—that!" He pointed at the puppet that stared up at him with sightless eyes._

 _Shen smirked, picking up a red chip from the floor. "That is what you wanted, Saki." She sighed heavily and looked sadly at the board. "You are satisfied, are you not?"_

 _"What?!" he demanded. "I...I..."_

 _Shen only looked at him sadly and shook her head. "You wanted a puppet to take out of a box as it suited you." She stood and went to the puppet. "You took her and made her into a toy—a puppet—and you've never wanted to share your toys."_

 _"Share her? With who? The fly? The mutants and freaks? I protect her from them. I keep her safe!"_

 _"And what of her, Saki?" Shen bent and gently caressed the carved forehead. "What about what she wanted?"_

 _"I have given her what she needed," he protested. "What she's wanted."_

 _"Have you given her the freedom to choose?" Shen asked sadly. Saki said nothing and she looked up at him. "Do you know what the terrible pity is?" Shen stood up and stared him in the eyes. "She might have grown to like you for who you are and not for who you pretend to be."_

 _"You're mad, Shen," he snapped._

 _"Am I?" she chuckled. "Well, as I am dead, I suppose it does not matter." She looked at the puppet sadly. "Somehow, I think that you are the one who is fooling himself."_

 _"Save your pity," he snarled. "I have a living woman already who bears the next Oroku." He sighed sadly, feeling suddenly like a huge weight was rolling off his back and leaving his muscles weak and weary. His arms fell to his sides. "I am...sorry, Shen. I have her to bear my children and to look after." He shrugged sadly. "Yoshi was your choice, Shen, and she is mine."_

 _Shen laughed musically and Saki glanced over to see a few of the black chips glow and become wine colored again. Amazed, he looked at her and he saw the cut on her cheek was gone. "It is good that you feel that she is a choice for you." She gently stroked the wooden forehead again and he felt disturbed that the eyes did not blink. "But she needs to be more. Can you learn to let her?"_

 _Without answering, he walked over and kicked the puppet again. The puppet's frame cracked and burst into red colored sawdust that flickered down in a shimmering curtain._

Saki sat up in the bed, looking around warily. There was no puppet, no Shen, no playing board. Sakura stirred sleepily and started to sit up, but he put a hand on her shoulder and pushed her down into the mattress again.

"Is it time to get up?" she muttered sleepily, not even opening her eyes.

"No," he grunted, looking around again.

"Mmmkay," she sighed, half-heartedly rolling to her side again.

Sakura woke up later and heard only the soft sighing of his breath behind her. She whimpered as her back ached. Turning carefully, she tried to relieve the ache without waking him up. Maji seemed to be dancing inside her. "Shh, shh," she whispered. "Patience, Maji."

Saki cracked his good eye and looked at her wearily. "Sleep, Sakura."

"Tell it to your son," she whimpered. "Please let me up for a minute."

He did let her up and she waddled to the bathroom and back again. Without another word, she laid down and stretched her arms up to the scarves again. He tied them and rolled on his other side to go back to sleep. Sakura twisted and put her back against his. It was a comforting feeling, having his broad, warm, muscular back right there against hers. Even with Maji turning flips, it was a comfort.

She slept again, feeling rested and relaxed. She stretched luxuriously, feeling like a cat wrapped in warmth. She glanced around and saw that he had already risen. She rolled and managed to get halfway sat up.

He was already in his armor and studying her closely as she managed to get herself upright. Untying her wrists, he gently stroked her stomach, wondering when his son would finally be born.

She frowned as the child kicked against his hand. "Hopefully he will be here soon," she whispered. "Otherwise he will be the first child born by kicking a hole in his mother's side."

He puffed out a laugh. "There are only a few weeks left at most."

She nodded, looking at him uncertainly. "I am glad, because there isn't a whole lot more room for him."

"Take a nap in your suite," he ordered. "Trays will be sent up."

She nodded as he petted her again. With a sigh, she waddled slowly to her suite and was locked in. The day moved as slowly as she did. She took a bath, letting the warm water lift her up and ease her aches.

She was able to pick at lunch, but felt her stomach rumble. Her head ached and there was absolutely nothing to help it more than cool compresses. Thankfully, Shredder's schedule meant that they were awake at night so at least the suite was dark.

She whimpered as Maji kept kicking. "Please, Maji," she whispered. "Please, take a nap. Please just be still for a little while." Rolling to her side, she tried to adjust her weight to the side. She closed her eyes gratefully as he finally settled.

 _May felt warm sunlight and she peeked out. The woman was sitting beside her, smiling sadly. May sat up a little in confusion. "What are you doing here?"_

 _"I wanted to tell you good-bye," the ghostly woman said._

 _"Good-bye?" May cried. "Why?" She took a gasping breath. "What have I done?"_

 _She smiled sadly and let out a sad laugh. "It's not what you've done, my dear. It is what has happened because of you."_

 _May sat up and looked around. "But why are you leaving?"_

 _"Saki is letting me go," the other woman explained. "He is finally allowing me to rest."_

 _"I don't understand," May whimpered. "I thought you were going to be here for me. I thought that I wouldn't be alone..."_

 _"I want to be here," she said. "I want to see Yoshi smile with happiness once more."_

 _"Yoshi?" May whispered. "You mean...Splinter?"_

 _"Yes," she nodded with a smile. "With your help, he has also let me go. He has decided to be finished with mourning. He will go on to live and love again."_

 _"But he will not ever love me," May whispered softly._

 _"Are you sure?" she smiled. "I think that you do not give yourself credit." She shrugged. "But I cannot interfere any more either way." A white hand patted May's stomach. "And you must be strong for your son."_

 _"My son," May repeated sadly._

 _"Whether or not Splinter chooses to accept your love, you must be strong for the little one." The ghostly woman smiled. "He has had no choice in all of this, so you much be strong enough to make the choices for him."_

 _May felt tears creep down her cheeks. "But you promised I wouldn't be alone!" She screamed. "You promised! How dare you?!"_

 _The woman smiled at her sadly. "I know. I thought that I would be here forever." She smiled benignly. "But Yoshi's father will be looking out for you as well." With a wide eyed wink she added, "And he is a crafty old fox." Shimmering tears that glimmered like starlight drifted down her white cheeks. "You would have liked him."_

 _May felt choked up. "What do you mean? What is his name? Why are you leaving? Who are you?!"_

 _The woman smiled. "I am finally allowed to leave. You have helped both Saki and Yoshi overcome their mourning and let me rest. I'm sorry I could not stay with you, but I am so very tired." She cocked her head. "Don't worry—Master Yuta will look out for you."_

 _"Master Yuta?" May said._

 _"He will help you find your choice." She laughed in a tinkling, breathless way. "And tell Yoshi that I wish him oceans of love and mountains of kisses."_

 _"But who are you?"_

 _"Shen-po. It's my nickname..." She sighed and then gave May a smile that radiated peace and calm. "Don't worry... He'll understand."_

 _Slowly, she began to dissolve and May clamored up to reach for her. "Don't leave. Please don't leave me alone..."_

But her bedroom was empty. May flopped down on the pillows and let her tears flow. She sobbed into her pillow for ages until her tears had finally run dry. Then it seemed like there was nothing to do but to continue as she had been. May stood on unsteady legs and looked out over the empty balcony. If she had been here twelve hours earlier, she would have been able to see the last puffs of cherry blossoms, but right now the city was lit with hectic, brilliant electric lights. May sighed, looking at the bustle below her and was about to turn away when a brilliant white shape caught her eye. She glanced to the side and would have sworn she saw a white fox sitting on the balcony looking at her. But of course, there was nothing there.

May had all but forgotten the disturbing dream several days later. She stared blearily at the pot as she carefully put in some cut carrots. Her sleep had been interrupted by Maji's insistent kicking and she felt drained of energy. She patted her stomach yet again, hoping he would settle down soon. She served supper and listlessly ate her portion.

"You are not sleeping well," Shredder observed lightly.

"Maji insists on keeping me up." She added more to herself than to him, "I hope that he settles down when he is born or no one will get any sleep." Saki only nodded thoughtfully. Irritated with the constant jumble in her stomach, she gave up eating. "Could we walk some after dinner?"

He looked at her sternly. "I think you need a nap more."

She looked up at him briefly. He looked at her with a fierce scowl and she glanced over at the hand gauntlets on the kitchen counter. With a heavy swallow, she nodded, "Perhaps you are right and all I need is a nap."

"I could have Tiger Claw escort you, if you like," he offered in a syrupy innocent tone.

She looked up at him in shock at his teasing. "No, thank you," she said primly.

That made him laugh. "So you want my attention on you as you walk and no one else's?"

She flushed and looked away. "Something like that."

He leaned back a bit. "As much as I am flattered, you need to rest more."

She only nodded and picked up the dishes to wash. Not thirty minutes later, she was back in her suite. Before another fifteen minutes had passed, she had washed her face, brushed her teeth and was settling in for another nap.

But Maji was not still. He kicked and pushed and she finally was forced to pace in her suite before he would stop moving. She walked into the nursery and pulled out a pen to doodle. The tiger watched her smugly as puttered aimlessly about.

She spoke to the tiger. "I don't see what you're so smug about. This waiting is miserable and I can't sleep and I can't move anywhere." She went over and sat down beside the tiger. "I'm so sick of this! I can't do anything!" She slammed her fist into the wall, punching the drawn tiger in the nose. "I hate this."

Of course, no one answered and she didn't really expect him to. Standing up, she went over to the rocker with a book of fairy tales and began to read aloud as she rocked. Several stories later she felt sleepy enough to kick back and lift the leg rest up for a nap.

She had been dreaming about something that seemed important at the time, and was listening to a cackling old voice say "Be strong" when she felt something wet. Waking up slightly, she groaned. Maji had a tendency to stomp in various delicate spots and had caused her to have an accident.

She cleaned up the mess, put on fresh clothes, clucking and talking to him when a huge pain hit her back. Groaning, she stood up and stretched as much as she could. Puffing out a breath as it eased, she continued walking around. She stopped to check the time at the bank clock she could see outside her patio doors—2:30 a.m. She had hours yet before Shredder wanted her to come in and cook, so she continued pacing.

The next pain hit her stomach and she crouched down with a scream. Panicked, she wobbled to the chair and stretched out on it. The pain left quickly, but left her fearful in its wake. She rocked and read and read and rocked until it seemed like the pain had faded and stood up again.

Running to the shelves, she pulled out the big book and thumbed to the labor section. There was no point in trying to bang on the doors or stomp the floors—no one would hear her—so she walked and talked to herself.

Around 4:15, she found herself panting heavily, waiting for the pain to pass. So far, it wasn't too bad and she figured that maybe it was a Braxton-Hicks or something. She told herself it would pass and she'd tell him that she needed to have a way to reach him. And, hopefully, he would be agreeable. Still, she kept rocking and walking.

Maji kicked her heartily and she wailed, feeling liquid gush out. Cursing foul words, she picked up a towel from the closet and mopped it up. Damn Shredder or Saki or whatever his name was—he was going to come back up here and find Maji already born! She hunkered down in front of the patio doors, looked at her watch and prayed until she had to scream.

"Damn it! Where are you when I need you?!" she shrieked to no one. "I need you now you bastard." She staggered to the door and pounded on it as hard as she could. Crying out as Maji kicked her again, she screamed, "Please! Whatever I've done to piss you off, I'm sorry." She kicked the door and pounded it with both fists. "Just please come in, already."

She leaned heavily against the wall, feeling exhausted from her sleepless nights and the strain. The utter release of screaming, finally, and feeling the utter fury of this mad, hopeless situation was a release that sapped her energy as well. She cursed again. He wasn't going to show up for likely hours and there was no one else unless she got lucky and someone came up to drop off something. She screeched wordlessly at the closed door and went back to her bedroom.

Saki was more than annoyed when he was finally able to escape to the penthouse at 7:30. It was far too late in the morning and he had been anticipating a lovely dinner and those wretched turtles had ruined it all. Part of him wanted to just go to bed and let Sakura fend for herself—after all, she was well stocked with fruits, nuts, juice and other necessities. The other part was weak and wanted to sleep next to her. Ignoring that sentiment, he went into his suite to lay down.

May panted as the next contraction passed. She stood up gingerly and looked at the clock. 7:45 a.m. She was exhausted and she was still over 45 minutes between contractions. She glanced at the illustrations of possible labor positions in her book. Wobbling to the nursery, she knelt in front of the recliner and put her head in the seat, hoping that the wobbly motion and different position would help.

The next contraction wracked her in pain. There was nothing but blazing white agony. She shrieked and pummeled the heavy chair. If only there was some way to get some attention! She panted and rocked and wobbled.

Her watch beeped at her with a pointless reminder to drink some water. Growling at it, she began clawing at the band. The heart rate monitor began to flicker as the band twisted. Grinning madly, she ripped a page out of the book and folded it before she jammed the folded pages under the watch face. The heart monitor went offline and began beeping wildly. Panting and groaning, she kept wobbling and rocking, praying someone was paying attention to the thing.

Shredder groaned as an alarm sounded. Scrambling for his armor, he went to the tablet and looked. Sakura's heart rate was offline. Without even pausing for a breath, he grabbed his gauntlets and bolted to her room.

She was panting in the nursery, rocking back and forth and mumbling angrily to herself as he came in. Kneeling down and ignoring the glaring light, he stroked her head. "What is going on?" he asked, inexplicably afraid of the answer.

"Your son and...ungh!...heir is on his way," she snapped. Then she shrieked again, clawing at the recliner seat. "Nice of you to join us."

Any other time, he would have slapped her for such an impudent, sarcastic remark, but looking at her half naked body with sweat beading off of her, he could only stand and numbly get his phone from his suite. Dr. Ken picked up and was only a little out of breath as he answered. In fifteen minutes, Kuma and Dr. Ken were let into the suite. Kuma glared daggers at him in disapproval while Dr. Ken went through to the nursery.

"May...," Dr. Ken said a little too heartily. "How are you doing?" She grunted and glared up at him and then the Shredder. Dr. Ken had her lay down and let him examine her. "Well, you're doing fine. Tell me what's been happening." Sakura panted and told the doctor in soft tones about the pains and the symptoms as Kuma pulled a sheet out to cover her lower half. Dr. Ken nodded and took out a notepad to write stuff down on as Kuma gave him a pen. "I guess the little guy is on his way, then."

May nodded, gritting her teeth as Kuma held her hand and another brief pain passed. Sweating, she whimpered wearily. "Is it too soon?"

"Three whole days until our expected date," Dr. Ken said softly. "But he'll be fine." He looked around skeptically. "However, I think that you might be better on a bed or something. It might make you feel better."

Saki picked her up, sheet and all, and carried her to the futon. He felt his lips curling into a devilish smile as she held on to him. Putting her down carefully, he knelt by the bed and propped her up a little as he had seen Kuma doing. "Relax, little flower," he said softly. She grunted and then thrust back against him as another contraction gripped her. "Scream if you need to," he advised as solemnly as he could, considering he wanted to shout and dance that he was going to have a son.

May did scream. Pushing down, she gripped his hand and pushed against him in her agony. Finally it released her and she dropped her head wearily on his chest, still holding his hand.

Kuma glared at them and settled between May's legs. "You're doing well," the midwife grunted. "But...hold still for a moment." She pressed and examined May and then grunted angrily. "Your babe will need to be turned."

"What?!" May gasped. "What's wrong?"

"He's a bit sideways," Kuma said in a matter of fact tone. "I can help you move him so that he's in a better position." And with that, she put her hands on May's stomach and began pressing hard. May's eyes bugged out and she did scream as Maji turned and then seemed to slide back into a comfortable position.

Shredder growled at the other woman's casual handling of Sakura. She looked back at him blandly and began poking and prodding May again. With a satisfied smirk, she nodded again and went to fetch some supplies—ice water, cool washcloths, and some juice. As May was able to loosen up between contractions, Kuma propped her up, gave her water and juice to give her energy and strength, pressed the cool cloths to her forehead, and then would massage her feet or hands to help her relax.

Dr. Ken was busy laying out various supplies on the floor. He kept muttering to himself nervously and glancing at May and the Shredder over his shoulder. After two hours, he came back in and nodded in agreement that May was dilating well.

May looked at Kuma fearfully. "He's too big!"

Kuma's wrinkled face split into a grin. "Relax and don't push. Save your strength." She picked up a plastic pad with a toweling top and slid it under May's hips. "You'll have a few hours more yet." May sighed and flopped back against the ninja. "That's it, chick. Just lay back and see if you can sleep a little."

May nodded wearily and let her body relax. She felt herself being lowered to the futon and just closed her eyes. She promised herself that she would open them again in just a moment. She felt everyone move away for a moment and the sheet put around her hips snugly.

Dr. Ken looked at her nervously as everyone filed out for a few moments. He frowned at Kuma who resumed her usual grouchy demeanor. Shredder growled low in his throat at them, "What is going on?"

"She is giving birth," Kuma snapped back, in spite of Dr. Ken's gestures for her to be silent. "She may be doing this for hours."

Saki's mind reeled for a moment. Hours? Hours of her trying to push Maji out? His mouth went dry for a moment. She was already straining and had apparently been in labor for hours already. He swallowed heavily. "Is she able to give birth safely?" he grunted.

Dr. Ken was sweating profusely. "She is slender and her child is large. It can be done, but it will take time." He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his sweating brow. "I am...hopeful that she will not need to have a cesarian."

Kuma scowled again and interrupted. "She is tired. She needs to rest if she can and then she can continue. Perhaps a vitamin and some fruit juice if her stomach will allow it." She glared at the men in what was apparently her best attempt at looking sympathetic. "With some careful handling, she should be able to deliver. But she may tear in which case she will need to go to the hospital." She waved to the bedroom. "If it will help her relax, then I'd suggest a shower and then staying with her. But only if it will help her relax and not make her more tense. If she cannot relax here, she should be in the hospital."

"Kuma!" Dr. Ken replied in a warning tone.

"If she cannot relax here," Kuma continued blithely. "Then she will struggle through the delivery and it may ultimately kill her and/or the child." She shrugged. "Personally, I think she needed to be in the hospital hours ago-"

"Kuma!" Dr. Ken snapped, shocked at his midwife. This man was far too dangerous to offend by such plain talk. Kuma only scowled at him and went to pour cups of juice. He looked up at the ninja master fearfully. "I'm sorry. I'll call for someone else—"

"She will be fine," Saki said shortly. "She tells the truth fearlessly." Nodding at the other man, he went to his suite.

Inside his shaded and shadowed suite, he sagged against the door for a moment. He shed the sweaty garments and took a short shower, relishing the feel of the stinging sweat washing away. He grabbed a loose pair of pants and a kimono shirt. He would have felt better in his armor, but it was far too dangerous for Maji if she jerked. Still, he felt energized, like a young man—his son was being born! After the murderous night the night before, he felt like he could leap tall buildings and run for miles. His son would soon be here!

Then came the uncomfortable thought. There were hours yet to go for her to deliver naturally. His mind whirled at the possibilities—she could tear, she could be too small to deliver and need surgery, she or Maji could be badly hurt or perhaps die—and he felt hollowed out for a moment. All the things that he hadn't even thought of and hadn't considered—even when Shen had been at the hospital—were now crowding in his mind and whirling around.

He felt like howling suddenly. He had gotten used to having her close—her cooking, her shy admiration, her soft singing and gentle warmth beside him at night. He still had to prod her in some matters, but she obeyed him well now that they had established their little routines. He did not want to lose her and raise Maji by himself and alone once more. He growled and punched a wall. He was tired of being alone and fending for himself like the most junior gainin. He had raised Karai alone—through the long fretful nights of trying to get her to accept a bottle, to sleep without her mother nearby, to take her first steps and encourage her to speak.

He drew in a deep breath. None of this was helping Maji or Sakura. He flipped some small blades into hidden sheaths silently, feeling better for having some small part of his own routine established. He thought of Shen, when she had been delivering and he had been pacing the waiting room and pestering everyone for news. He hadn't really considered what she might have been going through—whether or not she was in pain or in physical danger—only that he had to get to her and the baby. He had been utterly confident that she would bear the child well. Of course, she had been a fully grown woman whereas Sakura was still very young. Shen had been more relaxed about the birth—fully confident in her choices and well used to looking out for herself when he and Yoshi were not around. He wondered if Master Yuta had perhaps had some tricks that he had taught her to help her along. He sucked in another deep breath and went back to the her suite.

Kuma was closing all the drapes irritably, turning off lights and making it dark. She shuffled along and pulled out one of the last spare sheets to cover the locked patio doors. He nodded at the dimmed area and went to the bedroom. Kuma had placed some cups with water and ice and some washcloths next to the futon and the various medical tools were neatly laid out on a plastic square. He sat down on the futon beside her, gently stroking her forehead.

Sakura muttered at him and she took a deep breath. All too soon, her face frowned in strain again and she opened her eyes in agony. He helped her sit up against him and let her squeeze his hand and whimper until it passed. He lost track of how long he sat there as Kuma bullied and cajoled her in turns to push and to rest and then examined her with the same intense frown on her face.

Finally, Kuma smiled and nodded. "Get ready," she said grimly. "We'll be able to start the hard labor soon."

Sakura moaned, her skin slick with sweat and her hair sticky. With an ironic look on her face, she glanced up at Shredder. "I thought that's what we had been doing," she muttered sourly. He couldn't help but grin at the pithy remark.

Kuma shook her head. "That was a warm up." With satisfaction, she nodded. "You're almost fully dilated."

Sakura groaned and buried her face into the warm shoulder behind her. She hadn't let go of his hand and he didn't even seem to mind as she squeezed with all her might. She held his hand, marveling at how gently he had been holding her. "I can't do this," she whimpered.

"You can," Kuma argued.

The sun went down on them and the suite grew darker and darker. Sakura gritted her teeth and began to bear down. She crouched wearily over the plastic pad and pressed down with all her strength.

A splatter of blood shot out between her thighs. She gasped a little and heard the man behind her growl. Dr. Ken's head shot up and went white and even Kuma backed up. After a moment, Kuma crept back closer. "It's all right. Sometimes there's a little blood, but it doesn't mean that anything is wrong."

"Are you sure?" Saki hissed at her, staring at the blood.

Kuma looked between Sakura's legs and nodded. She felt around a bit. "You're doing fine." After a few minutes, Sakura felt the pressure building again and Kuma said, "Now press down."

Sakura groaned and Saki felt his blood pool in his feet at how her stomach wiggled and shifted. Kuma kept cheering and cajoling and bullying Sakura to push. He was about to hit the older woman when she smiled at them both and told Sakura to push.

"I think I feel his head," Kuma grinned. "Now push harder. For a count of 10."

Sakura pushed dizzily as Kuma counted. As soon as the count was over, she straightened up and took a deep breath. Then Kuma told her to push again for another count of 10. Sakura shrieked and felt her body clench. Fiercely clutching his hand, she squeezed it again and was relieved to feel him squeeze back.

"He'll be crowning soon," Kuma chuckled wearily.

Saki slid around Sakura and put her hand on his shoulder. Instantly, she grabbed a handful of his shirt, clawing his shoulder in the process. He put his hands beneath her, feeling her body strain as the head crowned into his hands. With more blood and a sudden push, the shoulders and then the body slid out into his arms.

Dr. Ken maneuvered in and helped Sakura lay down. Numbly, Saki held the child as they tied the cord, cleared his nose so that he began sucking in a breath and crying, put on a diaper and wrap him up in a blanket. The midwife helped her sip some water and the doctor cut the cord before helping her deliver the afterbirth. Then the midwife took the baby and wiped him down with a soft cloth before handing him back to the ninja.

Saki cradled the baby to his chest, feeling him wriggle uncertainly. Then Maji wailed angrily, his face turning red and puffy. Sakura reached up and he looked down at her almost misty eyed. With a weary movement, she opened her shirt and put Maji to her chest.

Instantly, the baby clamped down on the nipple and began suckling. Sakura sucked in a painful breath as he began to move his mouth uncertainly. Shredder scooped them both up, causing her to whimper a little, as Kuma spread a fresh bottom sheet on the futon. Holding them carefully, he laid them back down on the fresh sheets.

Maji looked up and yawned a little before going back to his meal. Sakura giggled a little, listening with half an ear as Kuma encouraged her and offered advice and congratulations and a bottle of water. She drank half the bottle before Kuma told her to switch breasts. Again Maji clamped down almost instantly and began sucking more strongly.

As the other man and woman cleaned up the mess, Saki knelt beside the futon and put a finger in Maji's palm. Instinctively, Maji grabbed it in his tiny fist and looked blearily around before focusing on his first meal again.

Sakura felt her energy flow out as Kuma helped her slide into some panties with a pad and then get settled again. It was strangely comforting to have the huge, fierce man here to pay more attention to the details that were escaping her in her weariness. Maji yawned and closed his eyes, letting out a bit of a belch.

Expertly, Saki picked up the sleepy baby and burped him, relieved as his son belched placidly again and then went back to sleep. Sakura looked up at him uncertainly and wearily and he settled Maji in her arms again. With a fluid movement, he stood and got the others out of her suite and out the door in the early evening light. By the time that he returned to the suite, Sakura was sound asleep as well, curled in a little C shape around the tiny baby.

By rights, he should be exhausted as well, but he felt alive as never had before. His tiny son—Oroku Maji—was born. Sakura was alive and going to be fine. He laid down on the other side of Maji and put his finger back into the baby's palm.

Predictably, Maji woke up in a few hours and Sakura forced herself to wake up as well. She sat up a little and looked for the baby, but couldn't see him in the darkened apartment. "Maji?" she called softly, dreading the thought of getting up. Her hands felt the futon and could feel nothing.

The baby quieted suddenly and she looked around wildly. "Maji?" she called again, looking wildly around.

Suddenly a larger, darker shadow appeared from the nursery. "He is here," the deep voice rumbled. Sakura reached up and found that he was changed and in a little outfit. "Feed him," Shredder ordered shortly before laying down again. May obediently opened her shirt and offered him a meal, her nose wrinkling at the sweet scent from her shirt where she had leaked a little.

For two days she spent most of her time in bed, adjusting to Maji's haphazard schedule and making time to be examined by Kuma and Dr. Ken. They concluded that she had, in fact, torn a bit, but otherwise she would heal and be ready to resume her activities soon. Of course, Shredder was ahead of her, ordering trays to be brought up to her regularly and not allowing her to do much more than go to the bathroom. For some reason, she had not expected him to be so patiently gentle with little Maji—even taking him into the other room and playing with him to allow her to shower briefly in his suite.

On the third day, she was left alone as Shredder went out and she took care of Maji. Trays with meals arrived in an orderly fashion and she was allowed to walk the long hallway as someone changed her towels and linens. Mostly, she slept and recovered as the baby slept, relieved that so many small worries were being taken care of. A pediatrician showed up at her suite to examine the baby and give him his first vaccinations.

After a week, she was able to walk around readily, though she still relied on Shredder to an embarrassing degree. Of course, he was enchanted with his son, walking the dojo perimeter to show off the weapons and boast of the Oroku ninjas, changing his diaper and even gently bathing him. Each night he came to her futon and stretched across one side so that Maji slept between them. As she recovered, May grew restless again. Maji took up a lot of time and energy, of course, but she yearned to do more normal things like go to a park or to just walk down the street with him. She paced in front of the patio doors, hoping to see the brilliant orange beds that Splinter had promised grew in the garden.

One morning she saw the dots of orange in the park and she smiled happily. Maji blew a bubble back at her and she let him play on a quilt on the floor of the nursery. She fished out the duffle bag she had packed weeks ago and pulled out the few shirts that he had outgrown before adding a few other outfits. Surely the turtles would be here soon and she was determined to be ready.

But a week passed slowly by and they didn't. Saki grew concerned as her rally of strength and happiness eroded. Finally he took Maji out of the suite, instructing her to nap and have a snack without him. May wilted as soon as they were gone and did as she was told, hoping that maybe soon the turtles would show up. Restless, she paced and then did finally nap.

A little while later, she heard Shredder come back in with a cooing baby. She opened her eyes and instinctively opened her shirt as well. Settling him to her breast, she was relieved to feel him nursing, drawing the heavy milk from her and releasing the pressure she had felt building.

Finally making herself waken more, she saw the armored man staring at her. "Is something wrong?"

"Where are your friends, Sakura?" he asked suddenly, though not as sharply as she might have expected.

She looked up at him in confusion and finally realized what he was saying. Her face went pale. "I-I...I don't know."

"I was expecting them to show up before now," he growled at her. "And get this settled."

Sakura hissed as Maji seemed to bite down on her. Loosening his latch, she sighed unhappily and shifted him in her arms to her other side. "I don't know," she admitted. Then she thought of Splinter's face the last time she had seen him. "I don't even know if they are coming at all."

Shredder grunted. "Are you able to walk?"

Sakura looked up at him strangely. "I suppose so." Her face cleared. "Are we going somewhere?"

"I am not a patient man, Sakura," he grunted. "If they are not willing to come out for you, then I want all of us to travel to Japan." May looked at him and tried to hide her shock. "If we are inside the Foot compound, Maji will be able to be outside more and play. There will be ninja— _human_ ninja—to protect you and him around the clock and there could be other children for him to play with." He looked at her thoughtfully. "The freaks will not be able to follow us and you both will be safe."

May nodded uncertainly, suddenly not feeling unsurprised by the news. Likely he had the flights already planned. "How about we all walk?"

"You— _we_ can walk in the atrium."

May nodded and wriggled up to stand. Maji frowned at her crossly as he lost hold for a moment. With a soft croon, she let him continue to nurse. Apparently disappointed, he spat the nipple out and swatted her with his baby hand. "He is like you," she said softly, smiling at the baby. "If he is thwarted in any way, he lets me know it."

Saki chuckled and tried to cradle the boy. In his armor, it was difficult for Maji to settle against him. May shucked off the clothes she had been wearing and put on fresh ones. She stepped into the bathroom to wipe her face and then she was in her shoes and ready.

Maji was entranced by the huge room. May giggled at his baby wonder at the huge throne and the immense windows. He reached out and waved at the window and seemed to listen to his parents talk about what was happening outside before settling down again to sleep in her arms. May giggle to point to a group of pigeons as they swooped past the building and rose on the warmer air over the street. Shredder was mostly silent, but he did point out a plane and a helicopter and Maji stared solemnly at them before turning his attention to his father and studying him.

May walked back and forth in front of the windows, enjoying the limited view. Finally she felt Shredder's hand rest on the small of her back. "What will you do if they do not come?" he asked quietly.

May felt her eyes tickle with tears for a moment. She swallowed heavily and sucked in a deep breath before answering. "I guess I will be here, then." She kissed Maji on his head softly. She felt the man's eyes boring into her silently. "Will he be old enough to travel?"

"Soon he will." He shrugged. "Since he is nursing so well, I do not anticipate any problems."

She only nodded and let him lead her back to her suite. She looked sadly at the intricate drawings, at the smug tiger and the dumpy panda and the beautiful garden. "I suppose this is good-bye for real," she whispered to the empty room as she put Maji in the crib.

Going to her bed listlessly, she stared out the window sadly. A storm was gathering over their heads even now and she felt tired and achy. Standing and almost limping to the patio doors, she whimpered sadly, feeling tears form. She felt like she was mourning, grieving and that grief sat on top of her like a millstone.

The next two days were a misery as she sorted out what to pack and what to leave. She had her little duffle bag and would use it as a carry-on for the trip, but everything else needed to be sorted and packed. Some of Maji's earliest clothes he had outgrown and would be left behind. A few of her largest clothes would be left behind as well.

The storm over the city was part of a large system of storms and she looked out at the almost uniformly grey days with agonizing impatience and disappointment. She had only seen Shredder for a few hours a day and he not yet mentioned flights or plans. That seemed to be the good news, comforting her almost as Maji's wide-eyed cheer.


	18. Chapter 17

Leonardo sighed happily as he crossed off the calendar day. Tomorrow was "Safe Day"—in big red letters with a couple of glittery heart stickers and a flourescent pink smiley face sticker courtesy of Michelangelo. He knew the others—even Master Splinter—had been training hard for tomorrow. Mikey had found the best toys and been scouring the floor. Donatello had scraped together a baby monitor and some other electronics as well as training. Raphael had ground them through harder and harder exercises. They had all drawn strength from each other and knowing that their day would come soon.

Master Splinter had grown more thoughtful as the days had gone by, often meditating for hours by himself when he wasn't driving them hard in training. Leonardo went to the great open doors and peeked inside to find the rat kneeling in meditation. For some reason, it had been very disturbing to see his father so still and so thoughtful ever since he had gone out to the Shredder's building. Leo couldn't shake the memory of Splinter coming in, soaked and bent double with some emotion that he had never named.

Leo looked down at the floor for a moment and then knocked on the door. "Father?"

"Come in, Leonardo," Splinter sighed.

Leo came in and knelt down. "Sensei, are...you okay?" Splinter looked at him silently. "You haven't felt the same since you went to see Shredder." He looked at his hands helplessly. "Did you find out something about May or Karai?"

"I am...all right, my son," Splinter said with a short chuff.

Leo tried to smile, tried to believe it, and found that he couldn't. "You saw May, didn't you?"

"I saw her," Splinter said, his spine stiffening. Leo frowned as the rat seemed to grow more stiff in injured pride and his eyes flashed with some deep emotion that Leo couldn't quite put his finger on. "And she was..."

"Was what?"

"She was fine," Splinter finished thoughtfully. "Leonardo, what are you trying to ask me?"

Leo thought carefully. "I want to know...why are you so reluctant to talk about May?"

Splinter bowed his head thoughtfully. He did not want to speak about what he had seen. He hadn't even wanted to think about it. He didn't say anything at first. "It does not matter. We must do what is right."

"And what is right?" Leo echoed softly.

"We must save the baby," Splinter said finally. "If we do not, we will never have peace because another generation of Oroku ninja will hunt us down."

"So what about May?" Leonardo whispered.

"She must choose," Splinter answered solemnly. "And we will have to abide by that choice." Splinter offered a weary smile to his son and gestured to the open door where they could see the other three turtles plotting around the kitchen table. "Go... As the leader, you must rally your team. As their brother, you must not waste time worrying when you could be with them." Splinter put a hand on his shoulder. "Remember always, you are brothers first."

Leonardo nodded thoughtfully and went back to his brothers. Michelangelo sat with Donatello and stared at the maps and blueprints on the kitchen table. Raphael had spent several hours sharpening his throwing knives and every other blade he could get his hands on.

"So we still cool with the plan, Leo?" Raph grunted.

"Yes," Leo nodded. "We are still going ahead with it." He shook his head sadly. "I don't like it though-"

"Why not?" Donatello asked softly. "It's a good plan..."

Raph snapped, "I know." He smirked as he tested the blade. "And I like that we're finally gonna be finishin' the fight rather than backing down."

Leo nodded, agreeing at least in part with the sentiment. "We will be finishing this one." He sighed. "But it still doesn't feel...you know... _fair._ "

Raph grunted again. "Fair doesn't even come to the match." He shrugged. "We take out everyone between us and the Shredder. Then all of us against him and no holds barred."

Leo nodded in agreement again. This time, it was literally no holds barred. They would kill—they would have to kill—over and over. They would corner Shredder and surround him together as a family. Splinter knew he would come out to fight if the mutant master showed up. But this time it wouldn't be just Splinter—it would be all of them. April had agreed to drive in a smoke bomb in a delivery truck. Then they would use one of Donnie's inventions to knock out the computers and at least a few of the robots with an EMP blast. When all hell broke loose, they would go through the parking deck to the sewers and begin going up a neighboring building's fire escape to get to a terrace where they could plant another bomb that would rock the penthouse apartments.

It felt...so different to Leonardo as he stared at the map and drawings. Before, there was a certain amount of, well, holding back. Honor would demand that masters fight masters, one-on-one. The idea of killing anyone was apalling and repulsive enough—and he hoped none of them had to—but the idea of stooping so low as to all attack at once was beyond shocking. He looked at Raphael, who seemed to have a peaceful, satisfied grin on his face as he considered the battle scene. Raphael seemed to have no problems with this dirty business. Perhaps, in this, Raphael was the right choice to lead since he was starving to finish the fight once and for all. Splinter had refused to listen to that idea and Leonardo couldn't help but pray that his sensei, his master, his father, was right.

Saki could not remember the last time that he had slept so well. His mind whirled through the benefits of having her in Japan. Maji could go outside safely. There would be plenty of ninja to surround her and the baby. The freaks would not be able to get anywhere close to her. Some of the Foot were doctors, allowing the baby the necessary checkups in complete safety within the compound. In a few more weeks, she would be completely healed from the birth and in a year or so, she would be ready to bear another Oroku child.

His dreams were soothing. He had noticed distantly that his sleeping life had become more calming and more gentle—even more restful. It had been some time since he had been forced to slog nightmares of Shen's screams and his own inner accusations.

 _Again he was in the old dojo. He looked into the kitchen and saw the same woman scrubbing what had been white stone tiles before someone had spilled something dark and crusty on them. He studied her for a moment and then remembered her. When he had been a worldly thirteen years old, he had found that he could get what he wanted by telling her she was pretty, telling her that her hair was beautiful, or that she was kind. In return, she would make sure that he was served before Yoshi at dinner, that he got a larger portion of his favorite foods, and would offer him treats before dinner. She would flush prettily and lower her eyes bashfully before giving him what he wanted._

 _He stepped gingerly into the kitchen. She looked up at him shyly with that same adoring look and then returned to her scrubbing. "Where is everyone, my pretty?" he asked her._

 _She paused in her chore, shooting him an adoring glance. "Master Yuta was in his suite."_

 _Saki nodded and went to see Master Yuta. His adopted father was still at the board, looking thoughtfully at the possible moves. With a sour look, the other man gestured to a thin pillow and Saki sat down. He looked at the board and was surprised to see that there were so few wine colored chips._

 _"Where is Shen?" he asked finally._

 _"She is not here anymore," Yuta grunted. "Which is a pity because you could use all the help you could get." He placed a white chip and two more black chips turned white. "You have some help, but I don't know if it will be enough."_

 _"Enough of to do what?" Saki asked curiously._

 _"Enough to save your soul," Yuta sighed._

 _"My soul is fine old man," Saki snorted, but he couldn't resist a bit of a smirk._

 _"Is it?" Yuta asked. "You are in very deep danger." He sighed and rubbed one hand wearily. "You have had many chances to turn away from the dark path you have been walking. We had hoped that the girl would help you turn around, but you seem to be intent on your own damnation."_

 _"I am fine—!" Saki snapped angrily._

 _"So fine that you have to lock up the girl most of the time because you know in your heart that she would not choose to live the life you are forcing on her. So fine that you lie to yourself and her that you are doing it for her own good. So wonderfully fine that you even lie to yourself that she is growing to adore you. So fine that you live in darkness and in the shadows rather than face your actions." Yuta grunted. "You live in armor all the time because you are doing so well. You tied the girl down so that she didn't draw one of your own weapons and gut you or herself or your child because you are doing so well._

 _"If you do not remember, I was fully able to go to out when and where I pleased. I could take my family to stables, to lakes, to parks. I was able to go to the movies with Shen and play with Miwa in parks and gardens all over the city. I was able to step outside and feel the sun on my face and able to trust my students. My sons could play wherever they wished and when they were old enough, could go as they pleased. I would say that what you're doing is not 'fine'."_

 _"You did it by killing every Oroku ninja in the clan wars." Saki snarled at the older man. "Every single one." He stood suddenly. "Why did you spare me? Why did you hate me so much that you forced me to live a lie that I was your son?"_

 _"I thought that I was doing a good deed. I didn't know that it would be the end of my clan, my family and my life." Yuta shook his head sadly. "I am so very sorry. I should have let you join your ancestors then, rather than allow you to start on this path." Taking a deep breath, he smiled ruefully. "There is still one who would be a help to you."_

 _Saki looked around at the otherwise empty room. "You are joking."_

 _"You are not yet damned, Saki-chan," Yuta replied. "You still have the opportunity to turn away from darkness."_

 _"And what would you have me do?" Saki shouted, crossing his arms over his chest. "Become a weak, puking freak like Yoshi?" He took a deep breath. "I have grown the Foot to an international power far beyond your wildest dreams. We are unstoppable. The Oroku clan will grow again as Sakura and I have more children even as your favorite son and his freaks are destroyed."_

 _"Then you will have destroyed the Hamato clan," Yuta said softly. "Will that heal you? Will that make you realize your own destruction?" He shook his head. "Everything will fade in time—even the mighty Foot clan." Yuta chuckled softly. "With or without my oldest son, even the Foot will fade in time."_

Saki woke up suddenly, hearing the old man's laughter and it sounded like a fox.

May slept with Maji and tried not to weep as she packed her last few things. She forced herself to laugh at his antics and to smile at him. She read to him, played with him on the floor, bathed him and let him splash in the water. He was so very dear to her and wherever he went, she was going to follow. There was no where else she could go anyway, so she settled her mind that she was here for a little while longer until they were moved to Japan. She had wept herself dry of tears, mourning at the loss of Splinter and the turtles and April. But Maji needed her—he needed smiles and laughter and comforting and cuddles that would nourish him far more than her milk. So each morning, she would wash her face and go forward with a determined smile on her face.

The next day was brilliantly clear and she put on a fresh clothes and nursing bra. Thank goodness she had extras and could afford to rinse out last night's clothes. She really needed to thank...well, _him_ for his generosity. Maji woke up slowly and wanted breakfast immediately. She fed him and changed him. He pulled at her top—the kimono styled shirt that she adored since it allowed her to nurse him so easily—and tried to pull the fabric into his mouth. She laughed at that—everything was going into his mouth these days.

"Well, what should we do today?" she asked him. He blew a bubble and looked at her solemnly. "How about we count the piggies?" She took hold of one of his toes and tickled his feet. "That sounds like fun, doesn't it?"

She heard a low sound behind her. Slowly glancing behind her, she saw the immensely armored form and saw the satisfied gleam in his eyes. "Good morning."

"Konichiwa, Sakura-san," he said softly. "You will have to learn Japanese as well."

She nodded a little, offering him a timid smile. "Konichiwa," she whispered in return.

"How is my son, today?" he asked, somehow moving silently in all of his armor. The little boy blew a bubble at his father as well and spread his hand wide. Shredder took one gauntlet off to hold out a finger for the baby to grab. "He is strong."

She nodded and tried to keep smiling. "He will be throwing that tanto soon enough."

He smiled at her and the child. "We will be traveling at the end of the week. If your friends do not show up before that, then we will be in Japan by next week." He cocked his head slightly. "Two of my kunoichi have small children as well and will be there to help you."

"Kunoichi?" Sakura asked.

"Female ninja in the Foot clan," he clarified.

She nodded, trying to take it in. For a few moments, she was exhausted trying to just take in the idea that soon she'd be so far away. There would be no hope for her then.

"You are still worried," he observed. "You and Maji will be cherished. We will still have privacy, of course, but there will still be more people around. We have several doctors and more room than here." He gestured out the patio doors with one restless hand as he draped the other arm around Sakura's shoulders. "There is a private garden where Maji can play."

He went still and silent for a moment. Karai had played in that garden, digging in the dirt and catching dragonflies and rolling with her caretakers as a very young child. He remembered her bringing him a dandelion most seriously, declaring it the first flower of spring. She had a smear of dirt down one cheek and there were a few pieces of grass in her hair. Yet she had never looked lovelier. He wondered what his son would think of the thick grass, the bushes and bugs.

"Maji will love having someplace to play outside," May said thoughtfully. "And some playmates will help him too."

"He will have to work hard," Shredder said thoughtfully. "He will begin training very soon."

"Training?" May asked. "But he is still a baby."

Shredder reached around her to stroke the baby's head. "He will lead the Foot and is the next in the Oroku line. He will need to train hard and need to start soon." He smiled. "He is descended from the oldest bloodline of ninja, the very oldest of clans." At last he paused and said, "Let us walk in the atrium."

May nodded and followed him. "This is Maji's favorite room," she said, her mouth crooking in a wider smile. "I think it's the windows."

Shredder grunted and looked around to ensure that there was no one else in the atrium. "He knows that the throne will be his someday."

May walked in front of the huge window. "I don't think he understands what the throne is just yet. He won't be sitting for another few months." Shredder looked at her sharply. "But once he can, I'm sure that he'll be impressed."

She walked to the huge reflecting pool and knelt beside it, propping Maji up so that his toes were in the water. Instantly, he smiled and kicked, flinging tiny droplets of water everywhere. May laughed at him and he turned at the sound before reaching as far as he could towards the water. Disappointed that his arms couldn't reach, he kicked hard again and sent droplets flying.

"He is determined," Shredder nodded. "You will have to be careful."

"He's going to be a terror when he starts crawling," May agreed with a sigh.

Maji squealed again and kept kicking. May looked at the growing mess and picked him up with a smile. "Silly boy—are you trying to get into trouble?" He looked up at her and made a noise and reached again for the water. She shook her head. "Not today, little man. We will go to the windows again and in a little bit we'll take a bath."

His face turned red and he sucked in a deep breath. May took in a deep breath as well, waiting for him to start crying. Instead, a soft stuffed turtle was dropped over her shoulder and onto her chest where Maji instantly grabbed it and began to stuff it into his mouth. May couldn't breathe but whether it was the obvious message against the turtles or the fact that he had, yet again, snuck up on her without her knowing, she didn't know.

He chuckled as they walked back and forth in front of the windows. They were silent as the world walked by unaware of them. Maji gummed the stuffed turtle, amazed when it squeaked as he squeezed the shell. Every so often, the baby would throw the turtle aside and the ninja would already be there to catch it and hand it back. After a few turns, the little one grew restful and began pulling on her shirt. May backed away from the window and fumbled with the top. Shredder led her to the stairs of the throne, seating her on a low step and watching her carefully as she nursed his son.

The doors burst open and a hulking form appeared. May squealed and almost fell as she tried to turn away and get covered. Shredder turned sharply, his cloak swirling in front of her. Maji protested as his meal was interrupted and began crying.

"The turtles, Master!" the other one shouted—May could not see who it was. "They are attacking."

Shredder frowned and guided her to her suite. Looking at her for a moment, he grunted, "Wait for me." May nodded distantly, settling Maji against her shoulder. Maji pulled at her shirt fretfully and he paused to gently rub the infant's head. "We will go to Japan after I have defeated them."

Then he locked her in. May pulled down her shirt and began feeding Maji again. "Come on, Maji." Maji looked up at her with wide eyes. "Please be hungry." Maji sucked hard and May sighed in relief. "You are such a good boy." She fed him, then went to the nursery and changed him, letting him have his turtle. She put him in a soft one-piece and picked up the play blanket that had appeared in her suite one day. Dropping the blanket in front of the patio door since that seemed to be the most obvious place she could be, they basked in the afternoon sun and played on the floor, tugging at the soft toys sewn onto it and cooing at the mirror attached to one square.

"What are we going to do, Maji?" she asked softly. "We will be in Japan before we know it."

He looked at her and then glanced around as something caught his eye out the patio door. May looked around and saw a lovely tigerlily on her patio. Gasping, she went to the doors. "What on...earth?"

She saw nothing else. Pounding on the thick glass, she whimpered sadly. The flower drifted a bit over the empty patio as a breeze picked up a little. May clawed at the glass and yanked at the doors futilely. Finally, seeing that nothing was happening, she went to pick up Maji.

"Come on, Maji," she said, pulling him farther back from the doors. "We'll play a little over here."

The afternoon passed slowly and she cuddled and played with Maji. Nothing else happened and even the flower disappeared. Sighing slowly, she let the day finish. For lunch and dinner she had fruit and toast and water. Maji took a piece of banana in his hand and squished happily which seemed like as good a reason as any to go take extra bath with him.

The dark was welcome and May grew weary. She stripped and bathed with Maji on her chest so that he could reach and splash the warm water. He was worn out and went to bed quickly. May kicked the play blanket aside and laid down beside him.

 _She was in the sunlight, in the flower strewn field. Overjoyed—surely her friend was back—she ran to the dojo. Instead of the ghostly woman, an old man appeared. She stopped and then looked at him. He was peaceful and she vaguely remembered seeing him somewhere before, but she couldn't possibly remember where. He waved to her from the wooden porch and turned to go inside._

 _He sat her down in a room and closed the shoji door behind them. Sitting down himself, he looked at her carefully. "So what are you going to do now?"_

 _May bowed lowly. "I do not know."_

 _The old man smiled at her. "You are at a crossroads. Who will you choose? Yoshi or Saki?"_

 _May frowned. "I do not understand."_

 _"Saki wants you to be one thing. Yoshi wants you to be something else—even if he doesn't believe it himself." The old man bowed at her. "It is your choice."_

 _"But I have to choose what is best for my son." May looked at him sadly. "My son is my only reason for living now."_

 _"If there is no other reason," Yuta said sadly. "Then it would not matter which you chose."_

 _"I want to be free," she whispered. Her face flamed with a blush as she admitted it. "I don't want to be a—a-a brood mare for the Shredder."_

 _Yuta nodded and suddenly seemed to glow with even more peace. "That is good."_

 _"But this is an Oroku child," she protested. "This will never end."_

 _"It is ending now," Yuta said. "In fact, if you think about it, you can even...feel it."_

May started as a shudder went through the building. Maji woke up fretfully and May picked him up. Things rattled around them again and then were frighteningly still. May cradled him closely and looked around in alarm. The view at the patio door was cloudy and sooty looking. May tried to see out, but could see nothing. She held Maji tightly, biting her lip as an even darker shadow stood up on her balcony. She crept closer, unable to make out more than a vague outline.

Another shadow leapt down to the balcony and attacked the first shape. The first shape was smaller than second and she gasped as the first shape backed away. Distantly, she thought she heard an alarm and the smoke outside was flickering in orange and red. The floor vibrated slightly and there seemed to be more orange flickers outside.

The smaller shape backed away and the larger shape crumpled for a moment before coming to the patio door. May backed away fearfully and cradled Maji even closer. Then a large hand pounded on the door.

May went to the door and pulled futilely. The foggy, smoky form of the Shredder leaned against the door and she saw him look at her. He smirked and took out a small device. May's watch beeped and the door unlocked. With a swift move, he slid open the door. May ducked to the ground to avoid the sudden rush of smoke.

"Hurry," he coughed heavily. "You have to trust me."

May looked at the smoke and the flickering of fire. She took a deep breath, grabbed the duffle bag since it held some necessities for Maji, and nodded. He led her to the edge of the balcony. May followed him carefully, feeling the floor tremble a little. There were flickers of fire and embers flew up from the side and she coughed from the sooty smoke that seemed to press down on them in the warm air. Following him, she went to the side of the building where he pulled up a panel to show her a hidden staircase.

May followed him, trying to keep Maji quiet. There was a terrace level halfway down and he led her out. May gasped to see a trickle of blood seeping out from under a shoulder guard. She came up closer and handed him Maji's blanket. He looked at her dizzily for a moment and then tucked it under his shoulder.

Maji whimpered as she ran and she tried to settle him again in her arms. Shreddder did not seem to notice the soft cries as grabbed her hand and tugged her along. "There is a car beneath us," he panted. "Get us to the airport."

"No!" shouted a familiar voice.

May looked over her shoulder and fell to her knees clutching Maji. Splinter stood behind them with a wickedly curved sword. The upper floors of the building were flaming in a tower of sparks and smoke and his exotic mahogany and ebony markings were more eldritch by the light of the flames.

Splinter grinned at Shredder, his teeth glowing white. Shredder grunted angrily and pushed May behind him. "So..older brother," he panted. "You attack from behind me like a coward?" He dropped into his ready position. "You have no honor."

May backed away as Shredder attacked. She cuddled Maji, hoping to calm him down. Splinter did not even flicker a gaze in her direction as she tried—and failed—to find a way down and she was almost disappointed. The rat leapt up and sliced down in effortless, deadly grace. Shredder blocked with his armored gauntlets, snapping the blade of the sword out of his opponent's hands. Splinter let it go clanking aside and pulled out a thick tanto instead. Neither of them said a word, even taunting each other too much of a distraction.

Suddenly, Splinter whipped out a wire with a weight on the end to wind it around Shredder's arms. Thrown off balance, Shredder tried to dance away, but dodged around May and Maji. Splinter looked sorrowful for a moment and then seemed emotionless as he looked deeper into the shadows.

May looked as well and saw the hulking shadows of the turtles surrounding them on the terrace. One of them was directly behind her and she saw muscled arms and strong hands reaching for Maji. With a startled cry, she fell back, hugging Maji even closer to her. He squealed in protest. Shredder was instantly distracted, looking at her. With an unsteady lunge, he struck for the turtle behind her. Then Splinter was on his back, slashing at him with a thick tanto. May cried out as an arc of blood splattered across the terrace. Her eyes slid closed as strong arms wrapped around her from behind. Without even seeming to stop, Shredder clawed through the wire and threw Splinter aside. There were soft whistles and from every side there were flickers of light as throwing stars and knives whispered through the air and either struck the man or sparked off of his armor.

Then Splinter attacked with the bloody tanto. With a whipping motion, he sliced through the air and another arc of blood spilled on the terrace. May felt a leathery hand slip over her mouth as Splinter leapt up again. With another smooth leap, he pounded Shredder in the chest, causing the larger man to fall backward against the throwing stars and knives buried in his back.

Then it was over. Shredder gasped softly, jerking as the full length of the weapons were wedged into his back. Blood flowed in dark red rivulets across the terrace.

The turtles looked around and Splinter's ears pricked up at the sounds of multiple sirens. The ninja master looked at his students wearily and then crept up to the still man. The armored master was too still. Splinter gently took his hand and felt at the wrist for a pulse. Suddenly, Shredder grabbed the rat's shoulder to pull him close. The turtles all tensed and then saw the armored hand relax and suddenly drop to the bloody floor with a splat.

Splinter sighed sadly and then looked at his students—his family. "We must vanish."

All of them nodded. Splinter led them to a corner of the balcony where grappling hooks were tied between the low wall on this terrace level and into the shadows of a neighboring building. Michelangelo came to May and took Maji in his arms before grabbing something and sliding down the rope. Leonardo looked at her with a mix of anger and sadness and gestured to his back. May slid Maji's bag to her hips and clutched his shell fearfully as they slid down the rope to the neighboring building's fire escape. As soon as Donatello and Raph were across, they cut the ropes, which slid down against Shredder's build and vanished in the grey night. They they ran down the fire escape to an alley and darted to a modified vehicle of some kind.

Leonardo sighed as he climbed aboard, settling in the driver's seat. Donnie went on board next. Michelangelo held and cooed at Maji and Raphael kicked his brother to get him to move. With a shove, Raphael followed her on board, sitting her roughly in a backward facing seat against the driver's seat before fastening her seat belt for her. Splinter looked sadly at the burning building and finally climbed on board, closing the door.

May whimpered and held her arms out to Michelangelo. The turtle looked sternly at her and cuddled Maji closer. "Please, Michelangelo," she whimpered. "P-p-please let me hold him." Maji looked over at her and began crying, reaching out his baby arms. "He...he needs to be fed."

Michelangelo frowned and looked at her suspiciously. Raph had not been silent about his suspicions that May had turned on them, and seeing May in such lovely clothes seemed to prove the red-masked turtle right. He cooed at Maji and jostled him uncertainly. Leonardo groaned, holding his head and Raphael glared at her. Finally Raph sighed, "Michelangelo, just do it. I can't take him screaming any more."

Michelangelo looked sourly at her and then silently appealed to Splinter. Splinter looked at his son and the baby and then said sharply, "Give her the child, Michelangelo."

May wept as she held Maji. The baby's skin was prickled with the cool air and May was thankful she had picked out the kimono style top to wear today. It had plenty of overlap to cover them both. She pulled open the fabric and opened the cup of her bra so that Maji could latch on. She suddenly realized that the entire van was silent, staring at her. Flushing, she wrapped the loose, stretchy fabric around herself and her baby. She heard whispering behind her and the van lurched wildly for a moment before settling back on the road. She was distantly aware that the vehicle behind them flashed its high headlights a few times and kept following them.

The road smoothed out from the city pot holes and detours and May grew even more weary. Maji had settled against her chest for a while but he began to fidget again. May blinked wearily and realized he was wet. Taking a spare diaper out she wriggled in the top again to get Maji settled across her lap.

Splinter sighed heavily, watching her steadily. "Leonardo, stop for a moment." The van pulled over and whoever was following pulled in behind them, blinking the headlights. May sighed in relief and settled Maji on the floor of the van to change him. He looked at her sourly and took in a deep breath to start howling when Michelangelo took the felt orange out of his belt pouch and squeaked it at him. Maji was entranced and reached for the toy. May felt tears leak out of her eyes as her baby stuck the orange in his mouth and let her change him.

"Peueie!" Michelangelo gagged dramatically. "That is rank!" May looked at him with a watery smile as he pulled out a paper bag for her to drop the diaper in.

Someone knocked on the van's side door and Donatello opened it. April and Kirby looked in at her with shaky smiles. May smiled at them for a moment before she picked up Maji.

"I couldn't wait to see the baby!" April smiled at her. "Oh he's going to break hearts! Can I hold him?" May smiled at her enthusiasm and carefully handed the baby over before getting out to stretch on the side of the road. Kirby looked at them and offered a shaky smile in return. "He's just beautiful. Hey Donnie, what do you think?"

Donnie looked at her and smiled happily. "You're a natural, April." He offered her a gap-toothed smile. "Hey, I even heard from Casey. He got out through the parking deck and was headed to an aunt's house until things die down. So he made it out, OK."

April looked at him shyly. "Yeah...I figured as much. But I'm glad to be where I am...here."

The other teenagers burst into laughter and coos as Donatello blushed. Kirby even laughed, holding out a finger for Maji to hold before he spoke. "Hey, we've got a few hours yet before we're at the farm."

"Yeah," Donnie said softly. "We still need to be moving."

April snuggled Maji one more time and then handed him back to May. "I'm almost jealous. He's adorable." May smiled shakily and thanked her. "Dad, can you get the bag from the car?" Kirby went to the sedan and brought out a bag from a chain baby store. To May's relief there was a warm blanket and a baby sling.

May looked up at him and bowed solemnly. "Thank you so much. I can't tell you how much this means."

April grinned. "The forecast was all over the place, so we had no idea what the weather would be like." She let Maji grab her finger and giggled as he reached for her ponytail.

Kirby patted his daughter on the shoulder in a backwards mix of pride and relief. She smiled and hugged him close. He flushed darkly as April finally let the baby go. "Let's get to the farm. I can't wait to see him properly myself."

May cuddled him wearily and wrapped the blanket around him. Her watch beeped some pointless reminder to drink some water and she absently dismissed the alert. Then she looked at the watch with horror dawning on her face. She went to the driver's side and knocked on the window. Leo looked at her sternly and rolled down the window.

"C-c-can you cut this off?" She held up the wrist with the watch.

Leo climbed down and stretched before looking at the watch. Raphael climbed out and came around the van to look as well. "Just take it off and let's get going," Raphael grumbled.

"I can't," May burbled, shifting Maji in the sling. "It's locked or something."

"Donnie!" Raphael bellowed.

Donatello crept out and looked carefully at the watch. "Do you know what this is? It's got, like, every feature known to man on it. Real top of the line. The Bluetooth is supposed to be the next version that—!"

"Just cut it off!" May begged.

"Why?" Raphael growled. "Want to seem pure and holy now?"

"Because he told me that he could track me with it," she said softly and miserably, unable to look any of them in the eyes.

Donnie prodded the clasps. "It's locked on with an electric lock too." He pulled out some thin tools and peered at it in the light of the headlights. "I can't see it to pick the lock here."

Splinter stepped out of the van and pulled out a knife. He watched over his son's shoulder as Donnie tried one more time to pick the lock. Donnie shrugged and backed up with a frown as he shook his head. With a swift motion, the ninja master slid his knife under the edge of the blinking watch face and yanked hard. May jerked as the knife mostly cut through the thick band. He did it again and the thing fell to the dirt beside the road.

The turtles all filed back into the van as Splinter held on to May's hand. The ninja master looked thoughtfully into her eyes and then called "April, please take the baby for a few more minutes."

May couldn't think and shrank away a little at his stern expression, but he held her firmly in place with his grip. April looked warily at the ninja master and came forward to take the baby. May whimpered as April backed away from the light with little Maji, who started to wail before he found her ponytail again and began pulling it into his mouth. April whimpered a little as Donnie attempted to pull the hair out of the baby's grip.

Splinter still was studying her. Then, with a swift motion, he took hold of the other hand looking again at her wrists sadly. May looked down and saw the cable ties that were still around her wrists. Splinter put both of her hands in one of his and then gently touched them. He slid them down to her hands, stopping when they would not go further. May whimpered and held still as he gently touched the clear, pale skin on May's neck.

Abruptly, he released her hands. "Tell me now," he said gently. "Will you go or will you stay?"

May looked up at him in amazement. "I...I can stay?" She looked over at Maji, still in April's arms. "We can stay?"

Splinter looked at her, deep into her eyes. He could see nothing of anger or hatred or regret—nothing that he expected to see. Instead he saw a cautious sort of hope that seemed to be ready to bloom into something amazing. "Come home, May." He took a deep breath. "Come home to us. Come home to me."

May felt her eyes close and her knees go weak and she knelt in the dust in front of him, her head hanging down and tears flooding down her cheeks. "Please! I want nothing more than for all of us to be a family again." She swallowed the lump in her throat and looked mournfully at Maji and then away. She could not face Splinter—not after what he had seen. "If you can ever find it in your heart to forgive me, I want to be...a family again."

Splinter knelt down carefully and gathered her in his arms. "Then come home."

May sat on the back bench with Splinter, tears running down her face from time to time. They took turns holding Maji. The turtles looked carefully elsewhere, only glancing over their shoulders from time to time as Splinter seemed to be straight and tall and sure in a way he hadn't been for a long time. May didn't care if they stared or not, if they made faces or spoke to her or not. She only cared that Splinter cradled her and her baby close and so they traveled in silence.

The old farmhouse was a welcome sight. Kirby got out and fumbled with his keys and let them in. The turtles let out a weary cheer as April and Kirby said that the bedrooms were upstairs and they all stomped up the wooden stairs. Splinter leaned on May as much as she leaned on him and they made it as far as the couch in the parlor before Maji let out a sad little wail.

"He must be fed again," Splinter smiled wearily at her.

She only nodded and pulled at the crumpled top. With a shy blush and a smile, she nursed Maji. He absolutely refused to let go of the orange thing and it squeaked as he nursed. She settled into a comfortable position when she noticed Splinter looking away at a picture that did not do justice to the determined focus he gave it.

"It is a lovely picture, but is there something wrong?" she asked suddenly. Then she gasped and bit her tongue. After so many strained months of almost total silence, her voice seemed almost shocking.

"I thought that you would like some privacy," Splinter admitted, hearing the turtles thud around and Kirby's and April's voice echo upstairs. Every muscle felt warm and relaxed and almost weak. His entire family—May, the baby, the turtles, April and Kirby—was together again at last.

She looked at him and gently nuzzled him with a soft smile. "I...don't mind, if you don't."

Splinter looked at her almost shyly. "Are you...able to nurse him? It is not difficult for you?" He put a warm arm around her shoulders.

She smiled at him. "I had milk before he was born. There is—ow—" She pulled Maji to her other side. "—plenty for him and I occasionally have some to spare."

"That is good," he sighed. "Shen always complained that Miwa never got enough and that it was too difficult. She cried when she finally had to start bottle feeding..."

May snuggled closer to him. "She sounds amazing..." She paused. "Wait...what was her name?"

"Shen," Splinter answered softly.

"Not...'Shen-po'?"

Splinter gasped and the world seemed to spin for a moment. "W-where did you hear that?"

May smiled. "I dreamed of a beautiful lady who told me to look into my heart." She shrugged. "And whenever I did, I found that I love you. She told me that she wanted to give you oceans of love—"

"And mountains of kisses," he finished with a smile. Instantly his arms were around her and he held her. "That was how we ended every phone call and every letter. 'Shen-po' was my nickname for her. But tell me of your dreams... How did you know?"

May expertly shifted Maji to her shoulder and burped the sleepy infant. Splinter stroked his downy head as she told him of her strange dreams. He smiled knowingly as she spoke of Shen and then thoughtfully as she spoke of Yuta. The conversation drifted to events over the past months as easily as water flows down a river. May stretched stiffly as they heard thuds on the staircase and Leo came into the doorway.

He bowed low with a sly smile on his face. "Master Splinter, would you like to retire?"

Splinter looked at May and helped her to stand. "What is it, my son?"

"Uhh...," Leo looked at them and then at the brothers who were giggling and waiting on the staircase landing. "We just were...picking out bedrooms."

Splinter looked at them all with a cock of his eyebrow. "Let us go up, May."

She nodded wearily and they trudged up the steps, scooting past the turtles on the old landing. At the top of the stairs was a hallway that had many doors off of it in both directions. April stood at one, pulling sheets out of what was apparently a linen closet with Donnie holding out his hands to hold them. Kirby waved from a doorway and then ducked inside and closed it gently. Raphael had claimed a large corner bedroom and hooked a sai on the doorknob to mark his claim. Leonardo and Michelangelo went to claim doorways as Donatello handed them sheets and pillowcases. Donnie looked at them and held his thumb up before wandering to an empty door. April gave him a peck on the cheek and went to a door.

Splinter looked at them all as they loitered in the hallway. There was one slightly open doorway left at the end of the hallway. May smiled at him and nodded, ignoring the whistles and soft cries from the rest of the family. Splinter opened the doorway into the immense master bedroom for her and then closed the door behind them firmly.

May gasped at the vintage beauty of the room. Crocheted curtains hung at the partially opened, screened windows. The huge bed was carved from some dark wood with four tall bedposts and had fresh sheets with lace on them folded over a large quilt with a beautiful ring pattern on it. There was a bedside table on each side with a china lamp with it. A huge rocking chair sat by the open window next to a tiny table with a clock ticked on it. A lovely rug covered the wooden floors. There was an old Moses basket on the far side of the bed with Maji's bag next to it. On one bedside table was a glass pitcher of water and a glass, and a heavy silver candlestick held a tall bayberry candle that cast soft light into the room.

Splinter's whiskers twitched in amusement as he led May to the far side of the bed. Together they laid the baby in the basket. She smiled as the baby stretched out with a large yawn. Taking her hands he led her back to the candlelight and looked at the cable ties again. One finger slid along the plastic tie and dark eyes looked at her in a way that begged for an explanation.

May shrugged a little shyly. "I...I was tied down to the head of the bed. He ended up leaving these on so that he could loop one more through the...the eyebolt."

"I did not see them," Splinter said softly. "I could see nothing but my own rage."

May nodded sadly. "I could not breathe. I thought you would hate me forever." She shrugged again, feeling more relaxed with each breath. "I could not think except that I had to live for the baby..."

"What is his name?"

May closed her eyes and looked away. "Oroku Maji..."

"After his father—the baby's grandfather," Splinter nodded.

"We can name him...anything," May said softly. "We can start again."

Splinter nodded wisely and pulled down the sheet and quilt. As May laid down, he looked at her seriously for a moment. "Do you...mind?"

May giggled up at him and patted the other side of the bed. "Let's go to bed."

Splinter blew out the candle and climbed into the bed. He slid closer and closer to her, relieved to feel her slide next to him and pull his arm around her. He smiled in the darkness, grateful to have her next to him once more as she yawned and slid even closer.

"What was your father's name?" May asked sleepily.

"Hamato Yuta," Splinter replied, closing his eyes. "Why?"

She giggled in the darkness. "I see..."

"Another dream, May?"

"Good dreams," she yawned. "He told me to seek my heart's desire." She stretched and then turned to lay her head on his chest. "I was so blessed to have someone encouraging me." She shrugged, sniffing deeply the scent of tea and spice and warmth. "I wanted to name the baby after your father."

Splinter smiled, listening to the soft sounds of crickets and owls and peeper frogs in the distance. He drifted into sleep and then heard the sound of a lone howl. May sat up and looked around. He propped himself up on one elbow. "What is it May?"

She giggled again. "I thought that...I heard a fox."

He pulled her down to his embrace and tucked the blanket around them with a chuckle. "He can find his own den. This one is taken."

"I think it is your father blessing us," she replied sleepily.

Splinter cocked an ear, listening to the yelps that sounded like an old man's laughter. Or had the old man sounded like a fox when he had laughed? Then with a shrug, he dropped off to sleep.


	19. Chapter 18

_Saki awoke in a sunny, flowery field. There was a city in the hazy distance, but he felt weary and had no interest in going back to it. He tasted a smoky flavor in his mouth and smelled of ash even though his skin was smooth and clean. The dojo was where he wanted to go to rest. His muscles ached and he felt like he had been fighting in heavy armor for many years without pause._

 _The wood felt warm and solid as he shucked off his sandals and came inside. This was the time of day he liked best, when the entire place smelled of warm pine and the inside blazed from the heat of high summer. He slid open the shoji, looking down the empty hallway. The rooms were silent and empty. He went to the dojo and paused for a moment, looking at the ancient swords in their stand and the black and white picture of one of Master Yuta's ancestors. A faint scent of incense lingered in the air._

 _Saki sighed in relief and ran his fingers through his thick dark hair, distantly amazed at the rich, silken feel of it. Of course, everyone must be in Master Yuta's quarters. In high summer, Master Yuta allowed everyone some time in the late heat of the day to rest._

 _Master Yuta's quarters were deserted, but his swords and weapons were still in their places. The futon was carefully folded and put away in its cupboard and the bamboo go board that he liked to play with was in its place of pride beneath a window._

 _Saki shrugged. He hadn't been particularly looking for Master Yuta anyway. He stopped, frowning—what was he looking for then? His mind seemed to be about to recall what he was searching for, but then the thought danced out of his reach. He grunted as his head ached softly and went to the kitchen._

 _There he found the young woman that seemed to always be there. She had been working in the kitchen ever since he was a boy of eight. He remembered she had come begging for work and food—her parents had died in some sort of gang violence—and Master Yuta had welcomed her in. He gave her a tiny room and let her work in the kitchen, cleaning the floors and pots and pans and running errands. She always seemed to be watching him, but would only blush furiously and look down at her hands whenever he looked directly at her._

 _He laughed softly—this was a universal truth that she would be in the kitchen, scrubbing something. "Hatsuma-chan," he smiled. She flicked her eyes up and flushed with giggle and then bowed down to the floor to him. "What are you still doing here?"_

 _She glanced up at him shyly. "I live here."_

 _He smiled at her. "But everyone else is out or resting, little flower. Why are you still here in the kitchen?"_

 _"I am scrubbing the floor," she whispered._

 _Saki frowned at her curiously and flicked his hair off his brow, distantly amazed again at the feel of it. He looked down at the floor and almost fell over jumping back. The wide, white square tiles were covered in something that looked like dried blood. Some of the squares were black with it. Blood must have run ankle deep in here, and faithful Hastuma must have been scrubbing forever because some of the tiles were wine colored rather than black and some few were white._

 _He knelt down to her, looking at the worn scrub brush going back and forth and back and forth. Her hands were badly chapped and when he gently took her hands to look at her palms, there were blisters. "What happened here, Hastuma-chan?"_

 _She looked up at him, tears running down her cheeks. She shook her head and tugged lightly in his hands. He knew he could overpower her, force her to tell him, and it would be simplicity. He knew every trick, every pressure point, every skill. But Hastuma had never even spoken in more than the most shy of respectful whispers to him, never fought against him._

 _He smiled at her, looking at her hands. When he had first become aware of girls, he had liked to make her blush by giving her some soft compliment. She had always given him whatever she could—the largest dumpling, the most dinner, the first portion of anything and she always would stop to get him a treat from the kitchen or a cup of fresh water. Softly, he held her wrists patiently, watching her as tears flowed down her cheeks. "Hatsuma-chan," he whispered softly. "You can tell me—no matter what." He bent down to look her in the eyes. "Pretty little flower, tell me what happened here."_

 _She shook her head and looked away. He smiled at her, suddenly confident that he would be able to talk to her. "Hastuma-chan, you have always been kind to me. So very kind and patient. Tell me what happened."_

 _She looked up at him mournfully. "You happened here, Saki." She bent down, away from his questioning gaze and her forehead touched his arms._

 _"I...I did this?" He looked around in wonder. "But how? What?"_

 _"This is the blood of the people that you have slain," she whispered. "This is what is left."_

 _Saki gaped in wide eyed wonder, seeing clearly every detail of the kitchen and the dried blood. He released her in shock. "But...what are you doing?"_

 _"I am cleaning the blood," she whispered, kneeling with her head to the floor in front of him. "It is all I can do."_

 _"And where is Master Yuta?" he whispered, his mouth still tasting of dry smoke. "Where is Shen?"_

 _She shuddered, tears falling to the floor. "They stayed as long as they could." She gasped for a breath. "They kept playing, trying to put blessings in your karma and hoping that you could turn away from darkness."_

 _"Playing...the game?" He thought hard, vaguely remembering._

 _"They kept playing, even though it hurt them when you would choose the paths of darkness," she sobbed. "And the blood kept flowing."_

 _"Shen? Master Yuta? Hurting?" He gaped at her. "Because of me?"_

 _She nodded sadly. "If you move on now, your karma is such that terrible things will happen." She looked at him sadly and her eyes flickered down. "I could do nothing more to help you than try to clean the blood up."_

 _He bowed to her formally. "Thank you, Hatsuma-san," he said solemnly. "Is Master Yuta still here? Is Shen?"_

 _She shook her head sadly. "When you and Yoshi-san stopped mourning Shen, she was free to go. She was—forgive me!—so tired and so hurt that she couldn't help but move on."_

 _"And Master Yuta?"_

 _"I have not seen him for some time," she admitted softly. Then she tried to smile. "But that does not mean that he is not here. Perhaps he is just napping?"_

 _Saki shook his head and looked at the thin figure in front of him sadly. She would need someone to take charge or she would be back on the streets quickly. Without Master Yuta or his brother, he was the only one to take charge of the dojo and protect her._

 _He sighed, looking at the dark black and blood colored tiles. Then he saw a cluster of pearly white tiles. Walking gingerly over to them, stroking the stone. "What...happened here?"_

 _She looked over at him and smiled. "But that part was the best!" She stood and walked stiffly over to those tiles. She held his hand down to the tiles, he saw images of a scarred woman, heavily pregnant. She looked familiar, but he couldn't place her. "Your woman—Sakura—bore you a child." She frowned. "It was terrible, how you met while you were mourning Shen-san so much, but when you found out she bore your child, you took her into your protection." She shuddered and said longingly, "You arranged for her care, made sure that she had no troubles, paid for everything and, even if you didn't know it, protected her and her child's life from Tiger Claw."_

 _He shuddered, remembering her suddenly. "I...I remember. It was..."_

 _She shuddered as well. "You were violent. Your intentions were not...completely honorable. But with your help, she delivered a healthy boy. Had she not had your help, her child would have died and she would have bled to death."_

 _The vision faded and he saw the tiles again. He slammed his fist down angrily, cringing at the crusty blood that cracked beneath it. "I have...done terrible things."_

 _She looked at him thoughtfully. Then silently she brought him a glass of water. Offering it to him, she said, "But we can—"_

 _"No!" he said sharply. "This is my mess to clean up." He looked at the scrub brush. "I will clean it."_

 _"When it is all cleared, you can join your ancestors or go back to live a new life," she said happily._

 _"You should go. I'm sure your ancestors want your return."_

 _"No...," she smiled. "I will be here like I always am." She took the brush and began scrubbing the floors._

 _"But why?"_

 _"Because...I love you." She looked at the floor. "I always have..."_

 _He took a brush out from under the sink and knelt beside her, scrubbing the tiles to clear of the blood in his soul._


	20. Chapter 19

Everyone slept late, exhausted from the night's activities. Even the baby slept soundly, waking up only once to be fed. May took him downstairs and found Kirby rooting around in the kitchen. "Can I help?" she asked softly.

"Err..yes?" said the nervous man.

May took out some of the long life milk and a loaf of bread from a bag of groceries that apparently had been fetched sometime last night. There were eggs from the chickens outside and she made a pile of French toast for everyone. Kirby held the baby and played with him as she cooked and the little one's eyes were wide as he took in the new face and the wide, sunlit windows with the view of waving trees.

Everyone came down, sniffing appreciatively. Breakfast was a happy affair as everyone seemed to speak at once, congratulating each other on the battle (which managed to make Kirby pale) and then May on the baby. Then Splinter on his battle—though they seemed to stop just short of calling it a 'victory'. Then Kirby for all of his help. Then April for her diversion. And on and on.

The entire day was spent cleaning up the place—dusting and beating rugs and washing sheets. Donnie went into the barn and fixed up the tractor so that they could mow around the house while April and May hung up the wash on the old clothesline. Raphael and Leo fixed a loose step and tested all the rails while Mikey hung up the porch swing.

Splinter seemed to be everywhere, giving advice and encouragement as they cleaned up the farmhouse. He climbed into the attic with April and Kirby, pulling out old baby things and sorting through them to find an entire box of cloth diapers and a half box of various clothes. He held the chains with Michelangelo as the swing was hung up and evened out.

When May ventured out into the newly mown yard with the baby, he was there, taking the lad and picking up a fuzzy caterpillar to show him. May went a little further and gave a happy shout. Splinter looked up at her curiously. "I found the vegetable garden. There's everything here!" She began digging and found old carrots, potatoes, a very old bush of blackberries, and some other plants. "Hey...we can have a great meal tonight. Vegetable soup."

She sighed in happiness and leaned back in the weed cluttered and overgrown garden to just bask in the sunlight. Splinter chuckled at her, his eyes warm. "Hey...it's been a long time for me." She flushed and then said. "Sorry... I guess this is pretty...er.. new for you too."

"And the baby," Splinter speculated, fishing a piece of grass out of the infant's mouth. He smiled at her, "Maji..."

The house was looking prosperous as they walked to it a little while later. Splinter cradled the babe and May held the vegetables in her shirt. Michelangelo waved at them from the porch swing and Leo and Raphael were wrestling behind the house. Donatello and April were fastening the patched chicken coop where several hens and a rather irate rooster cackled at them. Kirby came out with a cup of coffee and looked around with a smile and let May come in to fix dinner.

Kirby looked at Splinter and May speculatively as they all sat down for soup and crackers for dinner. "So...ahh...what happens between you now?"

May flushed and then looked up at Splinter, who regarded the man thoughtfully. "Are you asking about my intentions?"

Kirby flushed. "Well...someone has to..."

All the turtles went bug-eyed and sucked in a collective breath. April took Donnie's hand and looked up at him before looking at her dad again.

"I would like to marry her," Splinter said softly.

"Yes," May said in a rush.

Splinter looked at her with an ironic look. Mikey snickered, "I think you're supposed to wait until he asks you first before you accept."

"Well...OK then," Kirby said, suddenly smiling again.

Dinner was finished quickly, everyone shooting knowing looks toward everyone else. Only Kirby and Splinter seemed to be content with their knowledge. May flushed and was relieved when everyone went to bed, again listening to the sounds of a laughing fox through the open windows.

The next day Splinter was amused to find they were suddenly called to various parts of the farm. April occupied May for most of the day, dragging her and Maji out into the fields and the edge of the forest when they weren't occupied cooking a huge roast for dinner, along with baked potatoes and picking vegetables for salad. The turtles called him for various things—to spar in the open barn or to speak with them on various topics. Once he was called to listen to the news report of the burning of Shredder's building and how a few were found dead in the ruins. Kirby was sent out again to get groceries as April and May disappeared in the house and he was left with Maji.

Maji seemed to adapt easily to being outdoors and was enchanted with the ninja master's whiskers. They went walking in the fields and among the pens, looking at everything with wide-eyed curiosity and wonder. Out of habit, he began talking to the baby, telling stories and naming everything he could find and letting Maji touch everything he could. May had mentioned in passing that they had been inside the building for his entire life, and Maji was overjoyed to be laid down on a blanket in the back yard so that he could twist and turn on the grass. Splinter picked up a flower and held it over him, having him grab for it as he had done with Miwa. Maji was fast—figuring out the game and grabbing for the flower with some speed. As soon as he did, he threw it aside, waiting for it to be picked up again.

Splinter picked it up again and again, watching as the flower was crushed in the baby's grip. Maji burbled and smiled at him, kicking wildly and happily. Thankfully, May came out and was there as he abruptly tired of the game and wanted to be fed and changed again. They smiled at each other as she took him inside. The turtles came around him and Mikey couldn't resist telling him about the events of the evening.

Kirby was going to make an honest man out of him. Donatello had found a website where he could sign up for a minister's certification and marry them. April and May had been around picking up flowers for a bouquet, cooking and cleaning.

Splinter smiled softly, allowing the turtles to distract him, but a part of him thrummed with anticipation. Leonardo led Splinter back to the house in the early evening. They spoke of nothing particular, observing the ebb and flow of the life on the farm. Leo snickered as the rooster pursued a chicken. At the house, he paused at the outdoor spigot to wash his hands and face. The cool water soaked his fur, cooling him down a bit as Leo handed him a fresh bar of soap and pulled a towel off the clothesline.

He went into the kitchen, amused by the cake with its buttercream icing on the table, along with cheese, bread, roast beef with gravy, potatoes, salad and fruit. A bouquet of wild flowers sat at one end of the table. The cake had a clumsy rendering of the Hamato crest on the top. Then he saw April standing there in a pair of ripped shorts and a lacy blouse. Donatello came up behind her and grinned at his father, a red sash across his chest. "Ummm," he said bashfully. "I guess we're all ready. April, just wait for the signal." Splinter looked at April as she smiled even wider and then went upstairs. Donnie looked after her and then bowed towards his father.

The parlor was lit with a number of candles that mixed vanilla and bayberry scents in the air. Leonardo stood with Kirby, a red sash across his chest as well. Splinter looked at all of his sons as they bowed solemnly, red sashes across their chests. Kirby stood against the wall, a shaky smile on his face.

Splinter swallowed heavily, walking up to Leonardo who had a smug smile in his eyes and a too-knowing grin on his mouth. From behind him, he heard thuds on the stairs. and when he turned around and saw April coming down the stairs with Maji. Maji wore a red bib that he was presently stuffing into his mouth.

Donatello pulled out a kazoo and began tooting a soft song. May came down softly in her freshly washed pants and a lacy blouse borrowed from April. Splinter smirked at the straining fabric across her bust and May pulled the bouquet up across her chest and flushed, her loose hair curling around her face.

April went ahead to where Kirby was standing, smiling and cuddling Maji. Mikey went to the bottom of the stairs and offered his arm. She smiled and took his arm, allowing him to escort her to Kirby. Pausing, she kissed him on the cheek and the turtle flushed before retreating. Splinter took May's hand and put it in the crook of his arm.

Kirby looked at her and smiled at her. Opening his Bible, he cleared his throat. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to celebrate the union of May and Splinter." He nervously cleared his throat. "Who gives this woman?"

Mikey felt Leonardo poke him. "Yeow!" He growled at his brother and then went "I do! Uhh...we do!"

"Shh!" Leo said, pulling him back in line.

"When's the good part?!" Raph smirked.

"Shhh!" Donnie whispered.

"Do you, err...May, take, Splinter, to have and to hold, for richer and poorer, in sickness and in health for as long as you both shall live?"

May flushed and beamed at them. "I-I-I do."

"Do you, Master Splinter, take May to have and to hold, for richer and poorer, in sickness and in health for as long as you both shall live?"

He smiled at her roguishly. "I do."

Kirby smiled and pulled out three goblets that had tiny portions of vodka—the only alcohol in the farm house now. Splinter took an uncertain sip, frowning at the strong taste. He handed the cup to May and she took a sip. They took turns sipping from the cup three times and then repeated it for each of the three cups. Then, Splinter repeated his vows in Japanese and held May close as he did it.

Kirby swallowed heavily, a tear running down this cheek. "If anyone knows of any reason that this...err...man and woman should not be married, then let him speak now or forever hold his peace."

Maji cooed and April giggled and took the bib out of his mouth as everyone giggled.

"Then, by the power vested in me—sort of—then I pronounce you man and wife." He smiled and closed his Bible. "You may kiss the bride."

May handed Kirby the bouquet and felt Splinter's arms hold her gently. He nuzzled her hair softly. Standing on her tiptoes, she kissed the side of muzzle. Everyone cheered, clapping and stomping. Maji clapped and yanked on April's ponytail.

"Let's eat!" Mikey shouted.

Everyone ate hugely, even Maji who insisted on being the center of attention just before the cake was cut. With a cleaned up tanto, Splinter cut the first slice of cake and he and May split it to again raucous cheers. Late at night, as the turtles suddenly found a Trivial Pursuit game very interesting. April and Kirby held Maji, cuddling him as May and Splinter grinned and accepted congratulations.

After a few more minutes, May gave the bouquet to April and Splinter shook Donatello's hand. Then the ninja master took Maji over his shoulder and they went upstairs, ignoring the cat calls and whistles.

Upstairs, they put Maji in his basket. Splinter grinned at her as she stood up, stretching. "I would guess we finally have Kirby's approval?"

May giggled. "Oh you're well and truly married." She walked up and put her hands on his chest, marveling at his whipcord muscles beneath the soft fur. She looked up at him curiously. "Am I allowed to...touch you?" She blushed again. "I mean...I'll understand if there...are...boundaries."

He could only smile. "You do not need to fear touching me as you would like." He shot her a flirty smile. "As long as..." He paused. "You are comfortable with me doing the same." She could only nod happily. "Do you want the candle lit?"

She looked at the bayberry candle. "I am happy to see what I'm doing." She shucked off the pants and began to pull on the shirt. She pulled and tugged, but the shirt was too tight.

Splinter looked at her calmly and put his fingers in her collar. With a swift tug, he ripped the shirt from collar to waist. Then he pushed the shirt off of her shoulders. May giggled and tried to cover herself with her hands. He took her hands in his and kissed them. "You have no need to hide from me." His hands opened hers palms up, where he pressed a gentle kiss on each one. "You are a beautiful woman." He let her hands go and touched her stomach. "You are an endless delight."

May wriggled as his hands began to skim over her skin in the lightest of touches. Her hands fluttered in the air and landed on his chest. Shyly, she pushed the kimono off of his shoulders, marveling at his chest and shoulders and arms. He was so strong, so gentle and so very warm. "You are..." she sniffed, the air filling her with the scent of fresh air and his own spicy scent.

Suddenly, he laughed, touching her shoulder. A bright red Hamato crest was on her shoulder. She looked at it and giggled. "There wasn't time for getting rings and...well, Donnie offered to give us a bent nail—matching rings. But Leo said that, with your martial arts a ring would only get in the way." Splinter nodded, gently kneading her shoulder. May fell into a thoughtful silence and then sputtered out, "And...I wanted your mark on me." She shrugged a little too casually as she blushed. "I have so many marks, I wanted this one to be special."

"I am...honored," he whispered, nuzzling her neck and delighting in her soft gasp and wriggle.

"It's henna for right now. But in a few months, I think we'll have enough put aside that we can make it permanent."

Splinter licked it cautiously. She tasted sweet—like cake—and salt. "I should have had a ring or something for you." He looked at his furry arms and grinned ruefully. "I don't think a tattoo will exactly work."

May showed him her wrists with their ties. "Take these off and that will be enough." Splinter whipped out a hidden knife and sliced through them. She smiled as they hit the floor. "Now I am truly all yours."

Splinter scooped her up in his arms and put her on the bed. Climbing on the bed beside her, he gently petted her. Very quickly he was rewarded with her soft pants and a whimper. Between her legs rose a scent of musk and hot sweetness. His fingers dipped between her legs and found the moist heat. He nuzzled her to her back and gently nipped her neck. Ever so softly, he took her hand and licked her fingertips.

"You are allowed to touch me as well, my wife."

May turned towards him and pushed the kimono off of his body, unfastening the stiff obi. He caught it on his tail before it landed on Maji's basket and tossed it on the floor. May was amazed to feel his whole body. His tail gently wrapped around her ankle in a peculiar massaging motion as she stroked down his side and then across his abs.

She was absolutely on fire, her blood feeling hot and languid. His hands held her gently, allowing her to explore freely. Then she felt him—he felt hard and ready. She straddled him suddenly, relishing the utterly free feeling of being allowed to touch him as she wanted.

Then he twisted his hips and he was on top of her. His fingers were absolutely nimble, stroking and gently tweaking her skin and he was wonderfully skilled. She was truly going to go up in flames, but had no breath to tell him to stop. He traced along her skin and then applied gentle pressure and she felt herself relax completely. She gaped up at him in surprise and confusion.

"Acupressure points," he chuckled as he settled between her legs. "I will teach them to you..."

She nodded mutely, stroking his muzzle and kissing it. "Please...I am on...fire."

If Splinter heard her, she had no sign as he began to lick her again. The flames in her blood went higher and higher and he paused, looking to her for her permission. She could only nod, whimpering as he finally slid into her. Then, he stopped. "May...tell me that you are all right. Tell me." He whispered softly in her ear. "Tell me that I am welcome here."

She only nodded, gasping in relief. There was no pain, no agonizing humiliation. The first time was eradicated from her memory as he gently moved against her. But he was so slow, so gently moving back and forth. She gripped his arms and slid up against him. He gasped and it felt like that tiny sound was blowing fire into her.

Then she felt like she was exploding. He pressed somewhere on her body, some small movement on her lower back as she curled up to greet his thrust. Her eyes squeezed shut, hot tears suddenly feeling scalding as she sucked in air and burst into starlight. Slowly drifting back to earth, she heard his satisfied chuckle and felt him thrust again.

She opened her eyes with a misty look. "I...I—"

Splinter grinned smugly. "You compliment me in your pleasure, May." He licked her earlobe.

"But you...you didn't...?"

He lapped at her skin, the salty slick taste imprinted on his brain and coating his whiskers. "I thought that I would take it slowly for your first time."

She smiled up at him puckishly. "Then we can...? Again?"

"You married a ninja master," he grinned wickedly as he nipped her neck. "I have endurance to do this all night."

Somewhere, in the wild, wooded area just beyond the sight of the house, a white fox laughed before vanishing into the moonlight.


	21. Epilogue

_Epilogue_

 _26 years later_

Leonardo cracked an eye open wearily as his T-Phone rang. He looked at the id and opened it. "Hey, Michelangelo," he grunted. "What's up on the farm?"

"Uhh...dude? Can you come over?" Michelangelo sniffed hoarsely. "I mean...like soon. Tonight."

Leo sat up and sighed. "Mikey, is something wrong? I mean...Father and Mother...?" He heard the youngest turtle sniffle again. "Crap! I was out late on patrol, so—"

"Dude! Just get everyone together and come out here, okay?!"

Leonardo sighed again. "Sure, Mikey. I'll get everyone to come out." He grunted. "Just...is this another 'emergency' related to pizza?"

Mikey began bawling into the phone. "No, dude! I promise."

Leo nodded and got Mikey calmed down. After Maji had turned three, Splinter and May had moved to the O'Neil farm fully. Eventually, Kirby had retired from his job and decided that he wanted to stay in the city. After all, April and Donnie were married and living there. Of course, everyone went to the farm for Christmas where May put on a feast. Actually, everyone came in and out and always got a warm welcome. Unlikely companions, Kirby and Splinter had become stalwart friends, and enjoyed remembering when the "kids" were small and spoiling Maji who had become the honorary grandson. Mikey had chosen to stay there to help out, even if the rural store was chronically under stocked on frozen pizzas and ingredients.

"Hey Leo," Donnie answered his T-Phone on the second ring. "What's up?"

Leo shook his head. "Mikey has an emergency and wants everyone at the farm."

Donnie smirked. "Yeah...another pizza emergency." He glanced over his shoulder at April and mouthed "Mikey". She rolled her eyes and began herding the kids into the kitchen to get a snack. "Sorry—what was that Leo?"

"I said...well, I've got a feeling that this is important. Can April and the kids come?"

Donnie nodded, a sinking feeling in his belly. "Yeah... It's a teacher workday tomorrow, so we can just make a long weekend of it." A bellowing cheer rose behind him and he looked over at the two kids—Jason who was 8 and Timothy who was 5. April sighed and glared at her adopted offspring. "Hey, April? Could we all go to the farm? Just a long weekend?"

April shushed the kids who vanished to the kitchen. "Yeah, I suppose so. I've got tomorrow off since the schools are closed. What about you?"

Donnie smiled at her and then glanced at the plain, gold band on her finger. "I'll call someone and get them to cover for me. Things have been pretty quiet for a while since the new OS came out and I got the updates to the apps done." She smirked at him. "And I'll be releasing the new one soon."

She kissed his cheek. "I'll go pack for the little monsters."

Leo smiled vaguely, listening. "Great Donnie. I'll see you all at the farm." He disconnected and dialed again.

"Hamato Missing Persons Investigations," came the deep male voice. "Maji Hamato, speaking."

"Maji," Leo said.

"Leo! How are you, brother?" Maji laughed, sorting through some papers on his desk. His secretary had left a newspaper clipping of his latest successful investigation. Splinter and May liked to receive them and keep them in a scrapbook. "Gees...is it holiday time already?"

"Eh...no. But Mikey just called and wanted everyone to come to the farm," Leo sighed.

"We were there a few weeks ago to celebrate their anniversary," Maji laughed. "Is this a pizza related emergency?"

Leo had to laugh. For all that he had his father's deep, rumbling voice, he had—somehow—inherited May's sunny personality and Splinter's sense of humor. "Probably," he admitted. "Mikey was pretty upset."

"Leo, he's been pretty upset every time that the store out there runs out of olive oil and tomato sauce. What's up this time? A flour shortage or a dire blight of basil rot?" Maji didn't wait for an answer and continued. "Yeah...I could go out there. I'm hitting a dead end on one of my cases anyway. Maybe Dad could help."

Leo nodded. Maji had gone to the local state university and then got his private investigator's license. He had thought about joining the police force, but Splinter had guided him into setting up his own office. It was kismet—Father's training had perfectly prepared him for the dangerous and sometimes tedious work of finding lost people, especially kids. He had even gone in person to do some rescues. "Have you heard from Raph?"

"Yeah," Maji said, pulling out the newspaper clipping at last. "Didn't I tell you? He's finally got a...lady friend?"

Leo's mouth fell open. "What?"

"Yeah," Maji snorted. "Remember that case a few months ago where the grandfather and father refused to let the kid leave after Spring Break in Little Italy?"

"I remember. You called for backup on that one."

"Hey, when you find out the grandad was a Mafia don, who you gonna call? Of course I called my family!" Leo snickered. "So Raph stuck around to make sure that the girl was home all right and hooked up with her mother, Amanda."

"What?!"

"Cross my heart Leo. You could have knocked me over with a feather when he told me to cancel her bill and that he'd join up with me and work it off instead." Maji laughed again. "So the lady friend lived in the city for a while and saw a whole bunch of stuff. And she didn't turn so much as a inch when Raph came in with her little girl, just asked how he took his coffee."

"Raph is...a dad?"

"Yeah...I know. Last person in the world, right?" Maji opened up his planner. "So let me collect everything on this case and I'll let Raph know it's a long weekend. Everyone should meet Amanda and Kaylee anyway."

"What?!"

"They are eloping. Going to Vegas and going to find some costumed pastor to marry them. They figure with Comic-Con going on, no one will raise so much as an eyebrow."

"Well, it's time she met the family then."

"That's what I thought." He paused, looking at a ragged folder on his desk. "Hey Leo—do you have a minute?"

Leo sat down. "Yeah...what's up?"

"So I did some digging on my dad and the whole fire at the dojo in Japan. Found some clippings that Hamato Yuta died in the fire. Not much about Dad except that he couldn't be found for comment." Maji ran his fingers through his hair—tossing his cowlick aside. "Then I came across one hell of an interesting item." He pushed the cowlick aside again. "It turns out that a Minamoto Hatsuma went to the police and filed a missing persons report on a 'Hamato Saki'."

Leo shrugged. "So?"

"So she was like, no one. She worked in the kitchens and lived at the dojo. But after the fire, she reported...well...him missing. I tried tracking her and she died from complications resulting from smoke inhalation about three years later." Maji paused. He never referred to Saki as "Father" or "Dad"-that was reserved for Splinter. "But why report...Saki missing and not Dad?"

"Maybe she saw him get out?"

"I don't know. Wish I did."

"Yeah...look, I gotta go if I'm going to catch up with everyone at the farm."

Maji smiled. "Are you slowing down, brother?"

"Not hardly," Leo chuckled. "And I can still cream you...any place, any time."

"Dad's barn, at midnight?"

"You're on!" Leo smiled. "See you then?"

"Yeah... I'll call Raph now and we'll all pile into the van. How about you Leo? Do you need us to pick you up?"

"Nah... I'll be fine. I still have the ShellRaiser."

"You know—you can always crash with me, right? I've got an extra bedroom."

"Well...maybe. But I miss the lair—the quiet and solitude." He sighed—the lair didn't feel like it used to with everyone else out. Mikey was at the farm, playing Old MacDonald. Raph was engaged and living in the other half of a duplex with Maji. Donnie had spent tons of time building apps and a mobile programming company, using April as the figurehead to handle the human interaction and they lived on a cul-de-sac in the suburbs. It still felt like home, but it wasn't the same since there was no one to trip over. Of course, without Shredder uniting the Foot and gangs, things were lot quieter—less well funded, less organized, less well-planned... "Besides, someone else might take over the lair and you won't have a base of operations for the city."

"You're more worried about someone beating your high score on Space Heroes pinball." Maji laughed. "Hey, I got a call on the other line. I'll see you there tonight."

"Tonight."

Maji packed up his files as he dealt with his phone call. Chief Sterns was going to refer someone else to him—which usually meant a devilishly hard case involving people that he didn't want his name attached to. He called Amanda's apartment and they all agreed that a long weekend at the farm was a great idea. Then he picked up his files and the duffle he kept his ghi and spare socks in. The Hamato-do dojo was his pet project and he taught private lessons for a premium, so he kept his stuff at his office. Locking up, he canceled the weekend lessons and began the long drive to the farm.

Later that evening, he pulled up to the driveway. The beat up mailbox with only the Hamato crest on the side had a few fliers and he picked them up. Amanda and Raph and Kaylee were behind him as his car drove through the bumpy driveway. It never failed to make him relax—seeing the long driveway carving through the thick trees and shrubs. Then at the last curve, his mother had planted a zillion tigerlily flowers that bloomed in riotous color.

The farmhouse looked the same—the same chicken coop, the same vegetable gardens and fruit trees and the pen with goats. Mikey had been forced to replace the ancient porch swing and had picked out a brilliant orange one. Mom's clothesline was full of laundry—including the quilts she had made out of a box of scraps and an ancient sewing machine from the attic. There was the one that was blue and yellow rings in a pattern called "Double Wedding Ring". There was a quilt with no particular pattern or color scheme that was Michelangelo's favorite "Crazy Quilt". There was a red one that, if you looked closely, was quilted in a pattern that looked like crossed sais. There was a purple, yellow and blue one that seemed to resemble a brick wall but he didn't see it out here often because Leo kept his quilt with him. Then there was his favorite. It was white with a careful border of purple, red, blue and orange squares. In the middle was a deep red—sadly washed out a bit—Hamato crest out of appliquéd silk. The silk quilt his mom and dad had cherished hung in their bedroom across a spare bo. He remembered feeling its softness as they told him how she had tumbled into Father's life.

Raph carried Kaylee as Amanda fished out various pieces of luggage. Maji smiled at them both and said to Kaylee, "Hey beautiful. Is that a new dress?"

She nodded up at him. "Daddy Raph brought it today. He says it's 'Dotted French'—"

"Dotted Swiss," Raph grunted.

"Dotted Swiss and that he's always liked girls in white dresses." She shrugged. "I think he likes it because the sash is red."

"Maybe you're right," Maji laughed, shaking hands warmly with Amanda. "Good to see you again." He paused. "Well...I'm the sane one in the family. You get to meet all the nuts now."

She snorted and looked at Raphael. "Hey...after living in my grandfather's shadow for all that time and all the creeps he brought over, I'll take your nuts anytime."

Raph looked over at her and then at Maji. "And take that literally." He smiled and swaggered up the porch. "I've been training with her—"

"And me!" Kaylee objected.

"And you, sweet princess," Raph agreed, opening the door.

They found Leonardo sitting with a bawling Michelangelo in the parlor. Leo looked up at them bleakly and Maji dropped his bags suddenly. "What's going on? You OK, Mikey?"

Mikey shook his head and began sobbing louder. Leo wrapped an arm around his youngest brother's shoulders. "He's been like this since I got here."

Donnie and April burst in and their kids shouted wildly before charging upstairs to claim their favorite bedrooms. "What's going on guys?"

Maji shrugged and looked at Mikey. "Can you talk, yet, Mikey?"

Raph frowned. "It better not be another tomato sauce shortage, Mikey."

Mikey shook his head and gestured for them to follow him. The four turtles and their human brother followed as the ladies trailed behind, trying to keep the kids from getting into the animal pens and making a mess.

Maji felt his mouth grow dry as they went to the edge of the woods. At some point, Splinter and May had put a small Shinto shrine up at the edge of the woods and periodically lit incense to remember the Hamato ancestors. May had planted hundreds of bulbs of all kinds of lilies, but mostly tigerlilies all along the worn out path towards the shrine. And it was there, in the middle of a bright orange patch of oniyuri that they found them.

Splinter was laying in the middle of the blooms with May curled up beside of him. He had seemed to always be the same as any of them could remember. His muzzle had grown a few white whiskers and he had lost the glossy fur of his younger years, but he always seemed to look the same. May seemed to be rosy, as though she were a middle aged woman and simply napping in the garden.

Maji went up to May and felt her throat, then Splinter's. He looked up painfully at his brothers and then the women and then shook his head. Both women swallowed and hastily guided the children indoors. The turtles crowded around the couple, silent tears flowing down their cheeks.

Finally Mikey spoke up. "I heard them talking last night, but I didn't know that anything was wrong—just that Splinter had felt off for a while and wanted to go outside for a bit." He sniffed. "You know that he taught her to climb up and down the drainspouts, right?" He sniffed again. "I didn't think anything of it until they didn't come back for lunch."

Leo bowed low, followed by his brothers. Maji bowed as well, then lit some incense. They knelt there for a while, their grief too big for words. Mikey finally spoke up again, "So Splinter came outside and after a while May followed him." He smiled a crooked grimace. "She never did completely learn to climb quietly." He shrugged. "And I found them here, together, with this." He handed Maji a group of folded up papers.

Maji opened them and said, "It's from Mom. She says:

"You are my favorite son. Your beginnings were not the best, but you have overcome them and grown into a wonderful man. I cannot wait to see what your future holds for you—you have your father's laugh—" His voice broke and he looked at his brothers who smiled and, one by one, brought out folded papers covered in writing and yellowed and crinkled with age. Maji grinned sadly at them and continued reading, "You have your father's laugh and—I guess—my bad hair and your dad's sense of humor.

"I wanted to tell you that I love you. I love you even more because you brought me to your dad. There never ever—rat or man—a dad more proud than yours. We have every newspaper clipping in my scrapbook and we look at it every day or two so that we can talk about the things you are doing.

"You were the caboose child for your dad and my first child. Let me tell you—it was interesting, particularly when you could walk and began picking up knives and swords and carrying them around with you. I suppose that you come by that honestly—your biological father loved swords and blades and weapons as well. Your grandfather—his father—was purported to be able to throw a tanto a hundred feet, with accuracy.

"Your dad expects you to be able to hit a target at 150. He says by Christmas, but he'll let you have until next Easter if you need it.

"Never believe that you were not wanted. No matter how bad the beginning was—the end was worth it because I came home to your dad and your brothers. And Aunt April who couldn't put you down. You were the treasure that we all waited for.

"I wanted to say, just once, that you have a great legacy behind you. Your biological father was the last in a long line of shinobi and your dad was raised and trained by a grand master—who was his father—as well. Any clumsiness you inherit from me. I know that you will keep pecking and prying, trying to find out who your biological father was and the sort of man he was. I know that you will find terrible things—your brothers will tell you the truth and tell you some of them. But you are not doomed and not cursed to repeat his mistakes. Dad told me that you would not be since it was the nurturing soil that grew a mighty tree. I think, in some ways, even your biological father gave you the best that he had to give to anyone."

Maji put his hand over his face and felt the weight of the world lay on his shoulders. He glanced through the rest of the letter and flushed as he realized the intensely personal details of his birth father were laid out. "Hey...uhmm...the rest is—"

"We know," Raph sighed. "It's personal."

Mikey grinned sadly at Raph. "So you never told us what she wrote to you...?"

Raph looked at the papers in his hands. "She said that I was her hero. That I was never afraid to get down and dirty and get the job done."

Everyone stood and looked helplessly at each other. Maji sighed heavily. It was somehow right that they had died together in the place they loved so much. They were still together, wherever they were. He flipped through the pages and found a small paragraph at the bottom that was in a different ink.

"Hey, guys, listen to this:

"Just one more thing. Your dad said that he prayed to his ancestors to keep me safe. I know that they answered his prayers, keeping me safe (and let's face it, sane), and encouraging me. I want you to know that we will always be watching out for you. Call for us and we will answer—all of us."

Maji smiled a crooked little smile. The turtles all stood and bowed and began whispering. Everyone seemed to agree that they would buried on the farm lands. He sighed heavily, wondering uncertainly if he prayed for his ancestors, who—or what—would answer. His brothers had tried, in their clumsy ways, to help him understand who his father was and blunt the truth so that it wouldn't decimate him. He had spent several years as a teenager trying to figure out his father and his past, the horror of his father's actions. Dad—Splinter—had spent hours talking to him, helping him work through the depression and grief and guilt as he learned to accept that his father had done such terrible things. His mother had been almost serene, talking gently to him of it and her acceptance and unending devotion to Splinter had helped him realize the immense good he could do.

The turtles were slowly trudging back to the farmhouse, collecting the kids and the wives. Maji picked up incense sticks from the little box beside the shrine and lit it with his pocket lighter. One was for his mother. One was for Splinter. He stared restlessly at the third, wondering about it. Splinter had told him, "Do not let yourself become bitter about the past, my son, or you will repeat your father's mistakes. The past is done and cannot be changed, but the future is still in front of you."

Maji saw something out of the corner of his eye. Whirling around, a slender dagger whipped from its hidden sheath and in his hand. There was a beautiful woman smiling at him and he could not believe his mother's flawless face. Then there was a handsome, older man with a long thin beard on his chin and a peaceful smile. Maji bowed to them both as they stood in the flowers. As he stood again, there was a second man and Maji could not seem to catch his breath.

The newcomer was as tall as his Splinter, with sharper features and thick curling black hair peppered with gray at the temples. He stood very straight, as though he were still on-guard. Maji looked at the features, surprised by how much he looked like the man he saw in the mirror every morning. Most surprising was the calm, stoic acceptance and peace on the newcomer's face. Maji looked at the incense stick in his hand and lit it, puffing the flame so that just the fragrant fumes were released. The newcomer watched him silently and solemnly, as he placed it with the others and when Maji looked again, he thought that he saw a glimmer of surprise.

"Hey, Maji," Raphael called from the yard. "You comin'?"

Maji looked towards Raphael and then back at the empty yard. Splinter and his mother still lay in the flowers and there were a few incense sticks burning in the empty night.

"What's up kid?" Raphael sighed, trudging down the path.

Maji looked around again and there was no one. Then, with a soft laugh, he whispered, "It's personal."


End file.
